Fallen Angel: A Tale of Two Brothers
by MotoXAngels
Summary: Second in the Fallen Angel series. The end of Asgard was foretold by many generations, but no one would have guessed it would come at the hands of Loki Odinson, the Asgardian God of Mischief and Lies. Adopted son of Odin Allfather and the true heir to the throne of Jotunheim. Can Arabella and Thor stop the trickster before he destroys everything?
1. The Beginning

**Disclaimer - I do not own Marvel, Thor and anything else related to the two. I only own my original character Arabella as well as anything else that seems out of place.**

* * *

In the beginning, there was nothing.

Nothing but eternal space and emptiness. A universe ready to sustain life and allow it to thrive. The silence was deafening, and yet, there was no one to hear it. No one alive.

Then came the thunderous roar of one being. One being that would become the ancestor of all men, Gods and demons alike. With his hands and the hands of his children, Odin, Vili and Ve, they fashioned nine realms or what we know as today as the universe.

The higher tier consisted of Asgard, the realm of the Gods; Vanaheim, realm of the Vanir Gods; and Alfheim, realm of the Elves.

In the middle tier was Midgard, realm of the Mortals; Jotunheim, realm of the Ice-Giants; and Svartalfheim, realm of the Dwarves and Black Elves.

In the lower tier, the tier forgotten by all mortals and not acknowledged by the Gods of Asgard, was Niflheim, the realm of Ice and Mist; Helheim, the realm of the Dead; and Muspelheim, the realm of the Fire-Giants.

The Gods of Asgard, being the most technologically advanced of all the beings in the universe, kept the peace between warring realms and would from time to time, travel to other realms to do so. They did this by means of the Bifrost, a gloriously bright and burning bridge made of several colors of the rainbow, guarded by Heimdall, the Gatekeeper.

Little did the Asgardians know, that the Bifrost was a sought after commodity, and the lower realms wanted it for their own. After many failed attempts, the Fire Giants of Muspelheim decided that if they could not own it, then they would destroy it, cutting Asgard off from the entire universe.

As the silent war went on, the Fire Giants found allies in many other realms, and soon had a spy or ten in every realm, save for Asgard. No matter how they tried, or how Surtr, their ruler, manipulated or threatened, the citizens of Asgard were loyal to the end to the Allfather.

That was, until Odin Allfather created his own worst enemy, in his own son. The end of Asgard was foretold by many generations, but no one would have guessed it would come at the hands of Loki Odinson, the Asgardian God of Mischief and Lies. Adopted son of Odin Allfather and the true heir to the throne of Jotunheim.

* * *

The blackness of space, beautiful and mysterious, strewn with a billion stars. Atop a building, a wrought-iron sign – a hammer-wielding blacksmith – spins listlessly in the wind as a swirling breeze kicks up. A hint of what's to come.

A large SUV slowly moves down the main street of the one-horse town of Puente Antiguo, New Mexico, set amid endless flat, acrid scrubland.

The SUV heads out of town and parks in the desert. Suddenly, the roof panels of the SUV fold open. The underside of the panels house a variety of hand-built astronomical devices, which now point at the sky. Jane Foster, a beautiful woman in her late 20's, pops her head through the roof. She positions a Magnetometer, so its monitor calibrates with the constellations above. It appears to be cobbled together from spare parts of other devices.

"Hurry!" Jane yells to her two companions down below.

We hear a loud bang followed by muffled cursing from below. Jane offers a hand down to Dr. Erik Selvig, an older gentleman around 60, who emerges as well, rubbing his head.

"Oh— watch your head."

Selvig gives her a small glare, "Thanks. So what's this "anomaly" of yours supposed to look like?"

"It's a little different each time. Once it looked like, I don't know, melted stars, pooling in a corner of the sky. But last week it was a rolling rainbow ribbon—"

"Racing "round Orion?" I've always said you should have been a poet." He teases her.

Jane reigns in her excitement. She tries for dignity. "Hey, Darcy. Pass up the bubbly and my gloves, will you?"

Jane's intern Darcy Lewis, perhaps around 20 in age, hands Jane a bottle of Champagne and a pair of gloves through the window. Jane passes the bottle to Selvig to hold while she pulls on the old gloves – too large and masculine for her small hands. He starts to unwrap the foil, and she stops his hand with an excited grin.

"Not until you see it!"

Selvig glances down at the gloves adorning her hands. "I recognize those. Think how proud he'd be to see you now."

Jane's grin fades to a sad smile, "Thank you."

"For what?"

"The benefit of the doubt."

The two stare out at the sky expectantly. A long beat passes while they scan the skies. Nothing.

Jane's beginning to get worried. "It's never taken this long before."

Darcy calls up from the front seat. "Can I turn on the radio?"

"No." Jane says with a slight edge to her voice.

Selvig gives her a sympathetic glance, "Jane, you can't keep doing this."

Worried, Jane heads back down into the vehicle.

The SUV is bathed in the glow of high-tech monitoring equipment and laptops, some looking like they're held together with duct tape. Jane opens a well-worn notebook of handwritten notes and calculations. Selvig watches the frustrated Jane with sympathy.

"The anomalies are always precipitated by geomagnetic storms." She shows him a complicated chart she's drawn in the book, tracking occurrences and patterns. "The last seventeen occurrences have been predictable to the second... I just don't understand."

"Jane, you're an astrophysicist, not some storm chaser."

"I'm telling you, there's a connection between these atmospheric disturbances and my research. Erik, I wouldn't have asked you to fly out here if I wasn't absolutely sure."

Something catches Darcy's eye out the driver's side mirror. She adjusts it. In the distance, odd glowing clouds form in the skies over the Northeastern end of the desert.

"Jane?" Darcy's voice has a slight worried tone to it.

Jane shushes her as she leafs through her notes. The bottle of champagne begins to vibrate.

"There's got to be some new variable... Or an equipment malfunction..."

The lights and equipment in the SUV begin to flicker around them. The computer monitors squelch with static.

Again Darcy's worried voice floats back to her. "I don't think there's anything wrong with your equipment..."

The champagne bottle starts to rattle noisily now as it shakes more violently. Jane and Selvig notice. They watch it curiously, pressure building up inside it, when the cork suddenly explodes out of it. Champagne goes spewing everywhere – over equipment, over Jane.

"Jane?"

"What?!" The woman snaps at her intern.

"I think you want to see this." Darcy points out the window.

Jane and Selvig look out. Over the desert— massive clouds of rainbow light churn in the sky. The three stare, dumbfounded.

"Holy. Shatner."

"That's your "subtle" aurora?!"

"No— yes! Let's go!"

Moments later with the roof panels still open, the SUV races towards the strange event. Jane, amazed by the sight, stands with half her body out the roof, taking video of the light storm before them. The SUV hits a bump and Jane nearly flies out. Selvig grabs her, yanks her back in. Jane grins, thrilled, pumped with adrenaline.

"Isn't this great?!" Then a thought strikes her. "You're seeing it too, right? I'm not crazy?"

"That's debatable. Put your seat belt on!" Selvig orders the woman as the SUV lurches.

Winds howl around the SUV now. Up ahead, spiraling down from out of the clouds comes— an enormous tornado suffused with the strange rainbow light, roaring like a thousand freight trains as it touches down.

Selvig looks up through the still-open sunroof at the enormous glowing funnel cloud with wonder. Jane clambers into the front seat, beside Darcy. She leans way out the window, taping the storm.

"You've gotta get us closer so I can take a magnetic reading."

Darcy laughs, "Yeah, right! Good one!" She looks over at Jane's face and realizes, "Oh God, you're serious..."

"You want those college credits or not?"

The SUV tears across a field towards the tornado, Jane leaning out the window, taping the event. The SUV disturbs two ravens perched on a cactus as they race past. The birds take flight, when— KRAKABOOM! A huge bolt of lightening strikes down through the center of the funnel cloud before them with a terrifying intensity. The SUV rocks from the blast.

Darcy's had enough, she turns the wheel and starts to head away. "Keep the credits. I'll intern at Burger King."

"What are you doing?!"

"Saving our lives!"

Jane grabs the wheel, jerking it hard the other way. They struggle for control, when the headlights fall on— a man, directly in their path, stumbling through the winds. Darcy slams on the brakes, Jane turns the wheel hard to avoid him. The SUV swerves— but too late.

The side of the SUV slams into the man with a thud, sending him flying as the car skids to a stop. Jane, Darcy, and Selvig trade shocked looks, breathing hard. They peer through the dust clouds, unable to see through. After a paralyzed moment they all leap out of the car, racing from the SUV with flashlights. Jane spots the man lying on the ground. He's dressed in tattered clothing, charred and blackened.

"I think that was legally your fault."

"Get the first aid kit."

Darcy heads back inside the SUV as Jane, concerned, kneels next to the man. Selvig hovers, protectively. She gently turns his head to the light, and she sees him clearly for the first time. He is magnificently handsome, long blonde hair flowing around his classically sculpted features. She cups her hands around his face, as if willing the life back into him.

"Come on, big guy. Do me a favor and don't be dead, okay? Open your eyes and look at me."

Suddenly, he groans, and she's startled, then relieved, as his eyes flutter open. She looks deep into his confused, azure eyes, which at last focus on her own. Locking onto them. For a moment, they each forget to breathe. The connection is broken as Darcy returns with the kit. She freezes when she sees how gorgeous the man is.

"Wow. Does he need CPR? Because I know CPR."

A flustered Jane smooth's her hair and sits back on her heels. She looks up at Selvig. Back to being a scientist.

"His eyes—"

"—are beautiful." Darcy says dreamily.

Jane shakes her head, "—are dilating. That's a good sign."

"We still have to get him to a hospital."

Jane looks up at Selvig hopefully. "After we get a reading on the storm?"

"Immediately, Jane."

Jane sighs and nods, regretfully watching the storm evaporate above their heads. A thought strikes her. "Where did he come from?"

They exchange puzzled looks, as they stare up into the last glowing remnants of the storm.

* * *

Tonsberg, Norway, 965 A.D. "Once, mankind accepted a simple truth, that they were not alone in this universe. Some worlds man believed to be home to their Gods. Others, they knew to fear. From a realm of cold and darkness came the Frost Giants, threatening to plunge the mortal world into a new ice age. But humanity would not face this threat alone. Our armies drove the Frost Giants back into the heart of their own world. The cost was great. In the end, their King fell. And the source of their power was taken from them. With the last great war ended, we withdrew from the other worlds and returned home to the Realm Eternal, Asgard."

* * *

Somewhere far above the Earth stands a lone figure. He watches as Earth spins slowly before him, his voice, deep and resonant – the voice is Heimdall, Gatekeeper of Asgard.

"Questions, they've always asked questions – this race called man, on this planet they call Earth. Passionately longing to know how they are connected to the heavens."

As we pull away from the planet, widening, past other worlds, cosmic debris – leaving first our solar system, then our galaxy.

"In ages past, they looked to us as Gods, for indeed so many times we saved them from calamity. We tried to show them how their world was but one of the Nine Realms of the Cosmos, linked to all others by the branches of Yggdrasil..."

We pull back until we see it – Yggdrasil. Immense, sprawling, like a quasar or a nebula twisted into the vague shape of a tree, its branches of glowing energy stretching out into the black void of space.

"...the Worlds Tree. Nine Realms in a universe of wonder, beauty, and terror that they barely comprehended."

We move in through Yggdrasil, until we reach what looks like a galaxy, slowly spinning before us.

"But for all their thirst for knowledge, they let our lessons fall into myth and dreams. Where did he come from? He came from us, the proudest race of warriors the Worlds have ever seen. He came from this – the greatest Realm the universe has ever known."

We move through the galaxy's mists and astral matter, then over and up, through a band of prismatic color to reveal what's on the other side:

"He came... from Asgard!"

* * *

Beautiful beyond imagination. We fly over the magnificent landscape of the Realm, through the gleaming capital city, modern yet timeless.

The Palace rises countless stories tall, gleaming with an other-worldly majesty, towering high above the Realm sprawled out before it.

"Here we remain as a beacon of hope, shining out across the stars. And though we have fallen into man's myths and legends, it was Asgard and its warriors that brought peace to the universe."

Odin explains to his two young sons Thor and Loki, as they stand before the Casket of Ancient Winters, the power of the Frost Giants.

"But the day will come, when one of you will have to defend that peace."

"Do the Frost Giants still live?" Young Loki wonders.

"When I'm King," Young Thor says placing a hand on his chest. "I'll hunt the monsters down and slay them all! Just as you did father."

"A wise King never seeks out war, but… He must always be ready for it."

The brothers smile at one another before they run to catch up with their father each taking one of his hands.

"I'm ready father." Thor says.

"So am I." Loki counters.

"Only one of you can ascend to the throne. But both of you were born to be Kings."


	2. A New King

**Disclaimer - I do not own Marvel, Thor and anything else related to the two. I only own my original character Arabella as well as anything else that seems out of place.**

* * *

Present time: We move towards a large window of the Palace, where a figure stands – Odin Allfather stares out at his kingdom. The ravens fly up to the balcony, landing at his side.

Odin turns away from the window. His wife Frigga sits at a vanity and tries different earrings before the mirror.

"Do you think he's ready?"

"He thinks he is. He has his father's confidence."

"He'll need his father's wisdom."

"And his humility?"

Odin reacts with a stunned face.

"Thor won't be alone. Loki will be at his side to give him counsel and Arabella will be there to keep them both out of trouble and in line. Have faith in your sons and daughter."

"Yes, but Thor's still a boy. He could be a great King..."

Odin stops, notices his hand shaking. It seems to be out of synch temporally with the rest of the world, leaving a trail as it moves. He stares at it determinedly, concentrating, trying to stop the strange event through the force of his sheer will. Finally, the occurrence subsides, his hand normal once more. A worried Frigga covers his hand with her own.

Odin speaks quietly, "...if we only had more time."

"For once, our son needs something we cannot provide."

"I can fight it a little longer..."

"No. You've put it off too long! I worry for you."

He touches her cheek. "I've destroyed demons and monsters, devastated whole worlds, laid waste to mighty kingdoms, and still you worry for me?"

"Always."

"Not today. Now come kiss your King... while I'm still King." He pulls her close, and they kiss lovingly.

* * *

Directly under the throne room, inside a gloomily lit hall. Banners hang on either side to form a corridor down the middle of the fire lit room. Giant doors open at one end. A huge figure silhouetted against the bright light beyond walks forward. It is the unmistakable shape of the God of Thunder. Hammer in hand, he reaches the end of a raised platform. An attendant hands the figure a goblet of wine. He downs it quickly then hurls it towards the fire directly below.

"Another!"

The cup smashes, the alcohol causes the fire to glow intensely – and, for a moment, brightly lit, and seen full length, like a King to be, is The Mighty Thor.

He proceeds down the steps and down the center of the Hall. At the other end of the hall, massively shadowed on one of the great banners, the shape of two great horns. As Thor approaches, the horn shapes move, and then, from the shadows at the side, emerges Loki, wearing his horned headpiece.

From the other side comes Arabella, a crown of golden leaves encircling her head.

Like Thor, they are both dressed for a great ceremony. They stand by a brazier at the foot of steps that lead up to the crowded throne room.

Loki looks over smiling at his brother, "Nervous, brother?"

Thor laughs, "Have you ever known me to be nervous?"

Loki ponders for a moment, "Well, there was the time in Nornheim..."

"That was not nerves, brother. That was the rage of battle."

"Ah I see."

"How else could I have fought my way through a hundred warriors and pulled us out alive?"

"But, as I recall, I was the one who veiled us in smoke to ease our escape."

"Ah, with my wind as an assist." Arabella reminds Loki, earning a wink from him.

Thor smiles at them both chuckling, "Yes. Some do battle, others just do tricks."

The Attendant approaches with another goblet of wine for Thor. The Attendant stifles a laugh, though Loki notices and glares, he doesn't like it. He gestures towards the goblet in the Attendant's hand. Snakes pour over the sides of the goblet, slithering out and across the terrified Attendant's hand. He yelps dropping the platter with the goblet to the ground. Loki chuckles as Arabella shakes her head, a small smile gracing her face at her friend's actions.

"Loki... Now that was just a waste of good wine."

"It was just a bit of fun. Right, my friend?"

Thor's voice causes Loki to roll his eyes as he gestures to the writhing snakes on the ground. They turn back to spilled wine, the illusion shattered.

The Attendant isn't so sure as he kneels down to pick up the discarded items.

The three continue to chuckle as the Attendant leaves. A guard approaches handing Thor his Eagle-winged helmet.

"Ooh, nice feathers."

Thor chuckles, "You don't really want to start this again, do you, Cow?"

"I was being sincere!"

"You are incapable of sincerity."

"Am I?"

"Yes."

"Boys." Both men glance down at the small woman between them. "Please behave."

Loki looks his brother in the eye, all pretense lost. "I've looked forward to this day as long as you have. You're my brother and my friend. Sometimes I'm envious, but never doubt that I love you."

Thor searches his brother's face and sees no trace of irony. He's either speaking from his heart or he's a very, very good liar. Maybe both. Thor puts an appreciative hand on his brother's neck. "Thank you."

The two brothers take in the moment for a beat, then—

"Now give us a kiss."

Arabella laughs as she sees the look Thor gives his brother.

"Stop it." Thor says merrily as they all laugh. He glances down at his helmet, "Really, how do I look?"

Loki turns towards him, "Like a King."

The three hear the blast of a ceremonial horn.

"It's time." Loki says.

"You two go ahead."

Both Loki and Arabella cast him a wary look.

"I'll be along. Go on."

Loki holds out his arm which Arabella takes laying her hand on top of his, as he escorts her inside the palace without his brother.

* * *

Volstagg combs his great beard in preparation for the big event, using his reflection in the wall as his guide. He reaches for two trays of food as the Attendants walk right past him not allowing him to take any. He continues to groom his beard, as he does, he's surprised to find a stray grape stuck in the beard. He pulls it out, looks around, then eagerly pops it into his mouth and gobbles it down.

Fandral checks his reflection in a mirror, smooth's out his moustache, gives himself a dashing smile. A pretty Maiden holds the mirror before him, as other Maidens look on dreamily.

Hogun enters the room, pulling out a dagger at his waist he slips it into a sheath inside the gauntlet on his left arm.

Fandral looks into the small hand mirror a Maiden holds in front of him. "Darling, girl." The Maiden nods dropping the mirror. Fandral turns to the Maidens. "Now, who wants to polish my sword?"

The giddy Maidens eagerly raise their hands.

Hogun stands staring ahead grimly, his hands folded in front of him, amidst the hustle and bustle of the Attendants and the ceremony preparations going on around him. A helpful Attendant approaches him and starts to polish his armor. Hogun turns his head and gives him a look. Intimidated, the Attendant quickly backs away.

From behind, a woman in ceremonial armor takes off her sword and sets it on a table, then her shield, then several hidden daggers and small, yet intimidating weapons. The Lady Sif, looking radiant, eyes the weapons on the table. "I'll miss you." Then thinking better of it she quickly returns for her weapons.

Above their heads, colorful ceremonial banners of the Nine Realms adorn the room, crowded with Aesir and representatives from across Yggdrasil, all buzzing with excitement.

Thor's comrades enter and stride to their place of honor at the front of the hall. They are: the Warriors Three.

Volstagg has the girth and strength of a Sumo wrestler, with oversized passions to match.

Fandral, the consummate swashbuckler, is agile, charismatic, and nattily dressed.

Hogun – dark, sullen, brooding – a large mace slung at his side.

With them walks the warrior Maiden Sif. She's clad in armor, a shield and sword at her side – a beauty not to be trifled with.

"I hope this goes quickly, I'm famished."

Fandral feigns disbelief at Volstagg's statement. "Nooo!"

"Are you attached to that pretty face of yours? Because one more word, and you won't be."

"My, we are hungry, aren't we?"

The others laugh, save Hogun.

Fandral turns to him. "Go on, Hogun. Smile. You can do it. Even you, Hogun the Grim! Just one smile!"

Hogun stares at him grimly.

"All right, half a smile. Look, forget the smile, just show some teeth. Remember, we are the Warriors Three."

Lady Sif rolls her eyes, "Fandral, he's not going to do it. But if you'd like a challenge, I know of an even greater one for you."

"Name it, Lady Sif."

"Keeping your mouth shut."

Despite the glad tidings, down in the vault, something is amiss. Imposing Einherjar guards clad in armor, swords at the ready, stand watch inside the massive underground structure beneath the palace. A cold breeze blows past them.

* * *

Back inside the corridor, Thor stands, his fingers nervously drumming the handle of his hammer. Frigga approaches behind him, sees his anxiety.

"It's all right to be nervous."

"Why does everyone keep saying that? I'm not nervous!"

"You may be able to fool the rest of Asgard—"

"...but never you. I know."

"Thor, just remember that you have something even the great Allfather never had."

"And what is that?"

"Me for a mother." She smiles. "Now don't keep your father waiting."

* * *

Sif and the Warriors Three still wait before the crowd. Loki, Arabella and Frigga enter. Loki takes his place at the front of the hall with Arabella by his side, alongside the others.

With another blast of the horn, the crowd goes silent as the Einherjar Honor Guard moves into formation. They part to reveal – Odin sitting atop his throne, clad in full ceremonial armor. He holds his spear Gungnir before him. Any trace of weakness in him is gone now. He exudes all the power and majesty of a Ruler of Asgard. Frigga joins him at his side. He looks around the hall, casts a glance over to the Warriors. Thor is nowhere to be seen. Odin looks first to Loki, then to Arabella, but the two only have a shrug to offer in return. Odin isn't pleased. A murmur spreads through the crowd.

Volstagg whispers to Loki, "Where is he?"

"He said he'd be along."

Sif realizes the truth, and shakes her head in disapproval.

"What?" Volstagg asks her.

"He wants to make an entrance."

Fandral glances up at the Allfather, "Well, if he doesn't show up soon, he shouldn't bother. Odin looks like he's ready to feed him to his ravens."

"I wouldn't worry. Father will forgive him. He always does." Loki says almost bitterly, only Arabella notices it however as she reaches down giving his hand a small squeeze.

To the right side of the throne on the steps below stand Frigga, Loki, Arabella and Sif. To the left stand the Warriors Three.

Just then, at the back of the hall, up the steps from the lower level – Mjolnir roars up into the hall, Thor strides cockily into the hall behind it, catching it behind his back. The crowd erupts in cheers. Thor spins his hammer with a flourish, holding it up before the crowd, basking in the moment, relishing the adoration, whipping his audience up into a frenzy.

"Oh, please." Both Sif and Arabella whisper together.

Odin watches from the front, not liking this showy display.

Thor finishes stirring up the crowd, then reaches the front of the room, kneels on one knee before his mother and father, removing his helmet. Frigga casts him an admonishing glance. Thor winks up at her. She can't help but smile. Odin strikes Gungnir upon the ground with a deafening boom. The crowd falls silent. Odin speaks with quiet, effortless authority. He raises Gungnir before him.

"Gungnir. Its aim is true, its power strong. With it I have defended Asgard and the lives of the innocent across the Nine Realms since the time of the Great Beginning. And though the day has come for a new King to wield his own weapon – that duty remains the same. Thor—Odinson—my heir."

Arabella notices the look of anger that passes across Loki's face at his father's words. She again squeezes his hand, he turns slightly to her giving her a small smile of thanks.

"My first-born. So long entrusted with the mighty hammer, Mjolnir, forged in the heart of a dying star, from the sacred metal of Uru. Only one may lift it. Only one is worthy. Who wields this hammer commands the lightning and the storm. Its power has no equal – as a weapon to destroy, or as a tool to build. Tis a fit companion for a King. I have defended Asgard and the lives of the innocent across the Nine Realms from the time of the great beginning. Though the day has come…"

* * *

As the sound of the cheers echo from above, the odd, cold breeze picks up in the Vault. The Guards rub their limbs to warm themselves. They grow increasingly uneasy, sensing something's not right. They exchange a look, then walk the length of the Vault's hallway to its end, where a Casket sits undisturbed upon a pedestal.

* * *

"Today I entrust you with the greatest honor in all the Nine Realms. The sacred throne of Asgard. I have sacrificed much to achieve peace. So, too, must a new generation sacrifice to maintain that peace. Responsibility, duty, honor. These are not merely virtues to which we must aspire. They are essential to every soldier and to every King."

The Crowd and the Warriors Three start to shiver and rub their limbs for warmth in the increasingly cold air of the hall. Thor turns back to face his father. Odin looks upon his son with pride.

"Do you swear to guard the Nine Realms?"

"I swear."

"And do you swear to preserve the peace?"

"I swear."

"Do you swear to cast aside all selfish ambition and to pledge yourself only to the good of the Realms?"

A beat passes.

"I swear!"

"Then, on this day, I, Odin Allfather, proclaim you—"

Odin hesitates, noticing a strange sight before him. Ice creeps across the surface of the large banners around the hall, making an eerie cracking sound. Thor, his comrades, and the crowd see it too.

* * *

Large shadows suddenly loom over the guards. They look up and shout in terror as they raise their weapons.

The bodies of the Guards are flung to the Vault's floor, now strewn with ice. Their attackers are large and blue-skinned.

Odin realizes what is happening, "Frost giants..."

One of the creatures lifts the Casket off its stand and turns to go. But, as they do, the intricate latticework behind the Casket starts to separate and retract, revealing something standing in the shadows behind it. As the creatures walk away, a fiery glow rises behind them. They turn back around. Now it's their turn to scream.

The far-off sounds of a battle echo in the depths of the palace below. Sif and the Warriors Three reach for their weapons, as Thor races from the hall.

* * *

Thor enters, then stares shocked at the sight before him. Sif, the Warriors Three, Arabella and Loki hurry in behind Thor and stop short. Shattered and melting ice is strewn about the floor. No one can see the blue-skinned bodies of the Frost Giants clearly, just catch glimpses of their twisted and smoldering remains on the floor. They've just lost a savage battle. Badly. Amidst them, shrouded in shadow, stands the black metal creature, a fiery glow coming from within it. It is The Destroyer. It holds the Casket in its hands.

"The Destroyer." Sif startles.

Volstagg looks up at it in awe, "I thought it was but a legend."

Odin steps in behind the Asgardians, as the Destroyer sets the Casket back on its pedestal. It moves back to its post, the faint, fiery glow extinguishes within it.

Fandral looks around the Vault, ill at ease. "I've never been inside the Vault before. It's said the Tesseract was once held here."

Volstagg is again awed, "The Tesseract? I thought that was but a legend too!"

"Shush!" Sif tells them as Odin surveys the destruction.

Thor steps forward, "The Jotuns must pay for what they've done!"

"They have paid, with their lives. The Destroyer did its work, the Casket is safe, and all is well."

"All is well?!" They broke into the Weapons Vault! If the Frost Giants had stolen even one of these relics—"

"They didn't."

"Well, I want to know why!"

Loki glances between his brother and father. Odin interrupts his son again. "The Casket of Ancient Winters belonged to the Jotuns. They believe it's their birthright."

"And if you hadn't taken it from them they would have laid waste to all the Nine Realms!"

"I have a truce with Laufey, King of the Jotuns."

"He just broke your truce! They know you are vulnerable! We must act!"

Odin turns to Sif and the Warriors Three.

"Leave us."

Thor's comrades exit quickly. Odin eyes Thor, as Loki and Arabella watch.

"What action would you take?"

"March into Jotunheim as you once did. Teach them a lesson. Break their spirits so they'll never dare try to cross our borders again!"

"You're thinking only as a warrior."

"This was an act of war!"

"It was the act of but a few, doomed to fail."

"Look how far they got!"

"We will find the breach in our defenses. It will be found, and it will be sealed."

"As King of Asgard—"

"But you're not King! Not yet."

Thor sees in his father's face that he's pushed this as far as he can. He backs away, then leaves, pushing through the doors so hard that they slam backwards behind him. Odin watches him go.

* * *

Thor stands in the empty banquet hall, bearing the signs of the festivities cancelled due to the events of the day. Anger and frustration rising within him, Thor upends one of the massive tables. From across the room, Loki watches him, Arabella standing behind him.

Thor strides away from them to the far end of the hall sitting down on the steps. Loki calmly moves towards him sitting down as well.

"It is unwise to be in my company right now, Brother."

"Who said I was wise?"

"This was to be my day of triumph."

"It'll come. In time."

At the banquet hall entrance Sif, Fandral, and Hogun follow Volstagg as he enters in search of his dinner.

Sif looks around, "Redecorating, are we?"

Volstagg surveys the overturned tables and food, aghast. "What's this - ?!"

"I told you they'd cancel it." Hogan replies demurely.

"We thought that was just you being your normal cheery self." Fandral quips.

Volstagg looks about the floor, despairing. "All this food – so innocent, cast to the ground. It breaks the heart!"

Loki sighs admitting, "If it's any consolation, I think you're right. About the Frost Giants, about Laufey, about everything. If they found a way to penetrate Asgard's defenses once, who's to say they won't try again. Next time with an army?"

"Yes, exactly!"

"There's nothing you can do without defying Father."

Thor considers this, looks at his hammer, a gleam in his eye. Loki can guess what he's thinking, grows concerned.

"No, no, no... stop there! I know that look!"

"That's the only way to ensure the safety of our borders."

"Thor, it's madness!"

The others in the room take note of Loki's raised voice. Volstagg is the first to ask, "Madness? What sort of madness?"

"Nothing! Thor was making a jest!"

"The safety of our Realm is no jest. We're going to Jotunheim."

Fandral looks up at his friend and leader in shock. "What?!"

"Thor, of all the laws of Asgard, this is one you must not break." Sif tells him.

Loki looks on, intrigued by the proceedings. His eyes flit to Arabella who stands across the room still, silent, observing.

Fandral pleads with Thor, "This isn't like a journey to Earth, where you summon a little lightning and thunder, and the mortals worship you as a God. This is Jotunheim."

"And if the Frost Giants don't kill you, your Father will!" Volstagg says worriedly.

"My father fought his way into Jotunheim, defeated their armies, and took their Casket! We would just be looking for answers."

"It is forbidden!" Sif says earning a grin from Thor.

Thor sizes up his friends, smiles. He proceeds to make his case with enthusiasm and charismatic conviction. "My friends, have you forgotten all that we've done together?"

"Fandral. Hogun. Who led you into the most glorious of battles?"

"You did," Hogun admits.

"And Volstagg, to delicacies so succulent, you thought you'd died and gone to Valhalla?"

"You did."

"Yes!" He turns to Fandral. "Who brought you into the sweet embrace of the most exotic maidens in all of Yggdrasil?"

"You did."

He then turns to Sif, "And who proved wrong all who scoffed at the idea that a young Maiden could be one of the fiercest warriors this Realm has ever known?"

"I did."

Thor quickly replies, "True, but I supported you, Sif." He then turns back to the others, "My friends, we're going to Jotunheim."

The others exchange concerned looks, and realize there's no convincing him.

"Come on. You're not going to let my brother and me take all the glory, are you?"

Loki looks startled. "What?"

"You are coming with me..."

"Yes, of course! I won't let my brother march into Jotunheim alone. I will be at his side."

"And I."

"And I."

"And I. The Warriors Three fight together."

"I fear we'll live to regret this." Sif tells them.

"If we're lucky." Arabella says speaking up for the first time. The brothers turn to the door where Arabella stands quietly, her arms crossed over her chest, a look of displeasure on her face.

"Arabella…" Loki begins trying to convince her of their cause, but she holds up her hand stopping him. "I'm going."

"You are?" Loki asks.

"I do not agree. But something about all this is very odd, so my curiosity outweighs my judgment. Besides, someone has to keep you two idiots alive."

* * *

Thor, Sif, Loki, Arabella and the Warriors Three walk from the Palace, across the grounds. They reach a group of Attendants who ready their battle gear for their journey. Loki slips away from the group, and speaks to a nearby guard. Hogun and Arabella both notice but neither say anything.

Hogun wonders out loud, "We must first find a way to get past Heimdall."

Volstagg scoffs, "That will be no easy task. It's said the Gatekeeper can see a single dew drop fall from a blade of grass a thousand worlds away."

"And he can hear a cricket passing gas in Niffelheim."

Volstagg turns to Fandral, "Jest not! He hear-eth all!"

"Please. Getting past him should be simple enough now, since he seems to be letting Frost Giants sneak by under his nose."

Volstagg, terrified, calls out to the sky. "Forgive him! He mean-eth no offense!"

Loki rejoins the group as Thor leads them onward.

* * *

Thor and his band of adventurers, on horseback, pass through the massive Gate, leaving Asgard behind. They ride along the most astounding path in this Realm or any other – The Rainbow Bridge. Wide and flat, it runs straight out from Odin's Palace to the mists and black void of space beyond. In the distance far ahead, the Bridge continues on until it reaches Heimdall's Observatory.

The band draws near the Observatory, where Heimdall himself, Gatekeeper of Asgard, stands at his post on the Bridge before them, blocking their way, staring them down. There is something other-worldly about him, even for this Realm. He holds a massive sword in front of him, his stern, intimidating face virtually concealed by armor. Something glints beneath his visor, like twinkling stars.

Loki turns back to the others. "Keep your weapons sheathed and your mouths closed. This is going to take subtlety and sincerity, not brute strength. Leave this to me." Loki dismounts and steps forward. "Good Heimdall—"

"You're not dressed warmly enough."

Thor, Loki, and the others trade looks.

"I'm sorry?"

"The freezing cold of Jotunheim. It will kill you all in time, even Thor." A beat passes as he looks to the group. "Do you think that you can deceive me? I, who watch all? I, who can sense the flapping of a butterfly's wings a thousand worlds away?" He fixes his eyes pointedly at Fandral. "Or can hear a cricket passing gas in Niffelheim?"

Fandral looks gob-smacked. "That was just a bit of a jest, really..."

Loki goes into damage control. "You must be mistaken. We're not—"

Thor steps forward, "Enough!" The God steps forward past Loki. "Heimdall, may we pass?"

Heimdall stares him down. "For ages have I guarded Asgard and kept it safe from those who would do it harm. In all that time, never has an enemy slipped my watch until this day. I wish to know how that happened."

"Then tell no one where we have gone until we've returned. Understand?" Thor walks past Heimdall as the Gatekeeper lets the group pass.

Volstagg walks past the frustrated Loki, and needles him. "What happened? Silver tongue turn to lead?"

Loki glares at the man, "Get me off this bridge before it cracks under your girth."

Volstagg and Fandral share a laugh.

Thor and the others enter the Observatory and move to stand in front of the opening staring out into space. Heimdall climbs onto the large control apparatus at the center of the room and slides his massive sword into the machine. The apparatus roars to life, the Bifrost energy quickens along the Bridge, feeding into the Observatory.

The Observatory's giant turret swings around, and aims toward a section of space. The great turret fires, the rainbow light of Bifrost energy blasts out of it. The Bifrost opens at the end of the platform upon which Thor and his six comrades stand.

"Be warned. I will honor my sworn oath to protect this Realm as its Gatekeeper. If your return threatens the safety of Asgard, Bifrost will remain closed to you and you'll be left to die in the cold waste of Jotunheim."

"Couldn't you just leave the bridge open for us?" Volstagg quips.

"To leave the bridge open would unleash the full power of the Bifrost and destroy Jotunheim with you upon it."

"I have no plans to die today." Thor replies.

"None do. All is ready. You may pass."

Thor starts towards the Bifrost, he turns back to the others and grins. "Come on. Don't be bashful."

Heimdall shoves the sword the rest of the way into the machine, the groups bodies stretch towards the maelstrom, changing shape, as if every atom of their being is being elongated by the pull of it. In an instant, they're jerked off the platform and inside the vortex.


	3. Jotunheim

**Disclaimer - I do not own Marvel, Thor and anything else related to the two. I only own my original character Arabella as well as anything else that seems out of place.**

* * *

A hole in the sky rips open, and the Bifrost comes shooting out of it. Snow flurries up when the Bifrost hits, as Thor and his band touch down. Runes from the Bifrost are imprinted on the ice around them. Volstagg loses his footing, falling backwards. Thor quickly grabs him by the belt, the warrior dangling precariously on the edge of a sheer cliff on the planet's inner ring, opening up to the black abyss of space beyond.

"Come on, big fella. Up...!"

With an effort, Thor pulls the burly warrior back onto the ice and, tremendously relieved, he proclaims: "This belt! This belt is now my lucky belt! I will never remove it! Even when bathing!"

Fandral smirks, "You bathe?"

Thor and the others turn and stare out in horror and wonder at the frozen alien wasteland before them. The whole planet is a massive flattened ring of jagged ice, slowly breaking apart. Huge chunks of ice calve away from its outer edges and float off into space. The planet's icy surface cracks and melts as far as the eye can see. The ruins of a Jotun city lies in the distance.

Hogun glances around feeling uneasy, "We shouldn't be here."

"Too late now."

"Actually, it's not. We could turn right around, hop back to Asgard, share a mug by the fire. Could be nice."

Thor ignores Fandral and heads off across the ice. Loki looks around, anxious. "Perhaps we should wait."

Thor turns back to his brother. "For what?"

"To survey the enemy. To gauge their strengths and weaknesses from a distance."

Volstagg agrees, "I'm liking that. Gauging, surveying. Particularly the distance part."

"We know all we must. It's time to act." Thor heads on. Reluctantly, the others follow.

Sif scoffs, "He's just got to swing his hammer..."

The group trudges behind Thor across the frozen wasteland, shielding themselves from the howling wind and cold. Arabella conjures a fire ball in her hand holding it out in front of her, it not only lights their way but envelopes the group in warmth. The warriors look to their Angel with gratitude as they move closer to the flame. Loki looks around them, anxious. Volstagg shivers.

Thor, however invigorated, turns back to his comrades. "It feels good, doesn't it? To be together again, adventuring on another world?"

Fandral scoffs, "Adventuring? Is that what we're doing?"

"What would you call it?"

"Freezing."

Volstagg rubs his stomach, "Starving."

Sif shakes her head, "Whining."

"How about a song to lift our spirits?"

The others groan collectively.

Hogun shakes his head, "No, not that!"

"Please don't make us sing again!" Sif pleads.

"If I have to listen to Volstagg's singing voice one more time, I'll fall on my own sword!"

Sif smirks at Fandral's statement, "Well, now I'm on board."

She and Thor share a grin. The party reaches the edge of the city – its ancient structures of jade and ice melting and crumbling, ravaged by warfare long ago. A temple lies before them, across a central plaza.

Sif looks around, "Where are they?"

"Hiding. As cowards always do." Thor leads the others onwards towards the central plaza.

Loki reluctantly follows. They don't notice as shadowy figures move in the shadows of the structures nearby.

The party reaches the plaza. They sense the Frost Giants in the shadows and crevices, surrounding them now on all sides. The Asgardians reach for the hilts of their weapons.

"You've come a long way to die, Asgardians."

"I speak only to your King. Not to his foot soldiers."

"Then speak."

Thor turns towards the source of the voice, in a balcony of the temple, where Laufey sits, veiled in shadow, behind a cascading waterfall. The Jotun King is ancient, noble, powerful – too proud to reveal even a hint of the years of suffering he and his people have endured.

"I am Laufey, King of this Realm."

"And I am—"

"We know who you are, Odinson. Why have you brought the stench of your blood into my world?"

"I demand answers."

Laufey stands, sizing up Thor, tries to piece this together. "You "demand?"

"How did your people get into Asgard?"

"The House of Odin is full of traitors."

Sif and the Warriors Three exchange a puzzled look, disturbed by the Jotun King's words.

"Do not dishonor my father's name with your lies!"

Laufey stands quickly, "Your father is a murderer and a thief! He stole what was ours, and left our world in ruins. We have the right to reclaim the Casket."

"Not when you'd use it to make war against other Realms."

Laufey laughs, cold, mocking. "And why have you come here? To make peace? You long for battle. You crave it. I see you for what you are, Thor Odinson. Nothing but a boy, trying to prove himself a man."

"Well, this "boy" has grown tired of your mockery."

Thor takes a step towards Laufey. The other Jotuns step in front of Thor, blocking his path. The others finally see the Frost Giants now – terrifying, blue-skinned, standing eight feet tall, ice blades forming onto their arms.

Loki moves next to his brother and quietly implores him. "Thor, stop and think. Look around you. We're outnumbered."

"Know your place, Brother..."

"You should listen to his counsel. You know not what your actions would unleash." Laufey steps out of the shadows. "I do. Go now, while I still allow it."

Thor simmers as Loki speaks up. "We will accept your most gracious offer. Come on, Brother."

The others look to Thor imploringly. Thor stares Laufey down a beat – then relents. He turns to leave. His comrades breathe a sigh of relief and follow, when the Frost Giant behind Thor speaks up.

"Run back home, little princess."

Thor stops in his tracks.

Loki goes white, he knows what's coming. "Damn."

* * *

In one quick move, Thor pulls Mjolnir, swings it, and knocks the Jotun clear across the plaza. "Next!"

The Asgardians reluctantly draw their weapons, gather into a circle around Thor.

Volstagg looks around at the angry Jotuns approaching them. "Silly hammer! Has a mind of its own!"

Ice forms on the Jotuns' bodies, creating a frozen armor around them, extending off the ends of their arms like swords. One Giant does so directly in front of Fandral.

"I'm hoping that's just decorative."

Thor leaves the circle of Asgardians, swinging at another Frost Giant. His comrades form another circle around him, separating him from the Jotuns, as he whirls his hammer around once and catches it with a cocky grin. He's enjoying this.

Fandral calls to Volstagg and Hogun. "Well? What move, do you think?"

"I say we use "The Norn's Revenge." Volstagg offers.

Fandral scoffs, "At this close range? I think "The Alfheim Lunge" is a better move."

Volstagg gives him a disgusted look, "Maybe if they were three feet tall! No! How about "The Randy Valkyrie"?"

"Shut up!" Hogun yells to them.

* * *

Across the plaza, Thor easily dispatches some Jotuns. "Come on! At least make it a challenge for me!" Two huge Brutes jump down from above. One of the huge Jotuns lands a tremendous blow, sending Thor back across the ice. Thor rises, grins. "That's more like it!"

He throws Mjolnir with all his strength, knocking the Brute head over heels. Thor raises his hand. Mjolnir slows in mid-air, then flies back to his grasp. "Ugly and stupid."

Thor takes out yet another Frost Giant, then all hell breaks loose as the Asgardians and Jotuns begin to battle. A Jotun backs Hogun up against a wall of ice. As the Giant hurls an ice blade fist at him, the grim warrior swings his mace over his head, embedding it into the ice wall, and hoists himself up, dodging the Giant's blow and leaping over him. Hogun takes out a second approaching Frost Giant, spins back, dodges a swing from the first, then pounds the Jotun with his mace.

Nearby, Sif expertly stabs one Jotun after another with her double-bladed staff. One knocks her viciously to the ground. "If you don't treat me like a lady, I won't act like a lady!" She takes out the Jotun.

Loki backs away from an approaching Brute, and finds himself at the edge of a deep crevasse. The Brute charges at Loki and at the last second the Brute passes right through Loki falling into the crevice below. The real Loki comes out from behind a nearby pillar and dissipates his clone. "Pathetic."

He turns back to the battle. Two Jotuns come at him from either side. He lets two daggers fly, felling both Giants at once.

Next to Loki, Arabella fells four giants with fire-balls before sending up a wall of fire separating herself and Loki from the approaching giants.

Laufey eyes the woman, then nods to one of his guards – a massive Jotun brute. "Take out the fire one."

The Brute leaps down from the balcony, icing himself up, then punches his giant fist into the ice beneath his feet. It's a long-range attack, causing pillars of ice to explode out in front of Hogun, sending the grim warrior flying back.

The short-range effect shakes and ripples the ground beneath Arabella sending her to her knees. Before she can stand up a stalagmite juts up out of the ground piercing through the right side of her abdomen.

"Ah!"

Loki hears his Angel's scream of pain, quickly moving to her side he watches as she melts the ice with her fire, scorching her skin in the process. By the time she is free, her once flawless pale skin is blackened, cracked and bleeding. Loki places her arm around his neck and helps her up moving away from the raging battle.

Sif takes out a couple Frost Giants, but she's knocked to the ground by another. It raises its weapon above her. Hogun sees Sif in danger. He pulls a hidden knife from his sleeve and hurls it at Sif's attacker, hitting him square in the chest. The Jotun falls dead.

Sif sighs, "I'm so glad I taught him how to do that!"

Volstagg grapples with a Frost Giant, getting a couple good hits in. "You may want to put some ice on that!"

The Frost Giant fights back, but Volstagg manages to grip it in a headlock just as another comes up on him from behind. Volstagg fends him off, then turns the first one loose. "You may be taller, but I'm wider!" Volstagg launches his mighty belly at the Jotun and sends him flying. Another Jotun grabs Volstagg, squeezing him tightly and sending him crashing to the ground. "It's not too late for you to surrender."

Volstagg recovers and fights on. The Jotun grabs Volstagg's bare arm. The warrior's skin begins to freeze from the Jotun's grasp, a blackness spreading from it, necrotizing Volstagg's flesh. The warrior shouts in pain. Volstagg head-butts the Frost Giant, shattering the Jotun's ice helmet and dropping him to the ground. Winded, he takes a seat upon one of the fallen Jotun's bodies to catch his breath. As the battle rages around him, he opens a secret compartment at the end of his weapon, takes out a small flask. Volstagg grimaces in pain eyeing his blackened skin. He yells to his comrades. "Don't let them touch you!"

He takes a swig, enjoying the brief respite, then rejoins the battle. Volstagg stabs his blade in a Giant's chest, but the sword stops mid ice layer. The Giant delivers a bone-breaking blow to Volstagg's face, and the warrior drops to one knee. Sif sees Volstagg in trouble and rushes towards him. In one quick move, she leaps up and off of Volstagg's back, using her boot to plunge Volstagg's blade deep into the Giant's chest, standing atop him as he falls backwards to the ground.

"Thank you, my Lady. But I nearly had him!"

"Of course you did."

* * *

Nearby, a Frost Giant forms a barrage of ice bullets, hurling them at Arabella and Loki. The Angel wraps her wings around herself and Loki, surrounding them barely in time, as the bullets go pinging and ricocheting off them. She unwraps them and races into the group of Frost Giants who attacked her and takes them out easily.

A Frost Giant touches a pool of standing water. It flash-freezes Hogun's feet to the ground.

Volstagg notices and hurries over, dispatching Jotuns as he goes. "Hang on!" Volstagg swings his weapon, wildly hacking at the ice around Hogun's legs to free him.

Hogun looks down, suddenly worried, as Volstagg's blade cuts deep – and perilously close to hacking into Hogun's legs.

"Watch the legs!"

"Right. Sorry." Volstagg chips away at the ice more carefully, finally freeing Hogun's feet.

Fandral sword fights with a Frost Giant. "You really think your icicles are a match for Asgardian steel?" Fandral lunges at the Giant. The Jotun knocks his blade away. "Fair enough."

Fandral moves on him again, but the Giant grabs Fandral's sword and snaps it in half. "Could we stop just a moment while I get another sword?"

Fandral fights the Giant with his broken sword. The Jotun then lunges at Fandral, who ducks just in time, grabs hold of the Giant's sword and redirects it, stabbing the Giant through with his own weapon. The Jotun staggers back, then reaches down and swipes at a pool of water, sending up a spray that freezes in mid-air, forming into an ice stalagmite. It impales Fandral, rendering him helpless.

Loki lets go of Arabella and races towards the impaled Fandral, throwing daggers and felling Frost Giants as he goes. He reaches the nearly-unconscious warrior, when other Jotuns approach. He fights them off.

Volstagg looks across the plaza and sees the impaled Fandral. "That's unfortunate." He hurries to his wounded comrade.

"I may need a bit of help. Not a good look, is it?"

"Just try not to bleed."

"How's the face?"

"Flawless."

Volstagg begins to pull the bleeding Fandral off the ice stalagmite. Loki plunges two daggers into the chest of one of the Frost Giants. The Giant grabs hold of Loki's gloved arm, freezing and shattering his glove and armor from his hand.

"Loki!" Arabella had looked up just in time to see the giant grab onto his bare arm, her mind feared the worst but then something unexpected happened that had a million questions running through her mind at Mach 7.

Loki looks at his arm, prepared for the worst. But instead of the blackness of necrotizing flesh, Loki's arm turns blue – like the Frost Giant's own skin. The blueness spreads painlessly up Loki's arm. He stares at it, confused. The Frost Giant is thrown as well, distracted by the unexpected phenomenon. Loki takes advantage of the distraction and shoves a dagger into the Giant's heart. He stares at his arm as the blueness fades, his arm returning back to its normal color.

* * *

Thor continues fighting, his blood lust rising. He taunts the Jotuns around him. "Come on!"

But when he hurls his hammer to take out a Jotun, the Frost Giants seize the opportunity. A group of Jotuns swarm Thor from all sides, keeping him separate from his weapon. Mjolnir falls to the ground. A Frost Giant desperately struggles to lift Mjolnir off the ground, to no avail.

Now free, the wounded Fandral looks relieved as Volstagg slings him over his shoulder, and the warriors start to leave.

From his balcony, Laufey looks upon the battlefield, decides it's time to pull out the big guns. He touches a wall of the palace. An energy wave sweeps from his touch, across the wall of the palace, and down to the ground below. The Asgardians hear a foreboding crack of ice below their feet.

Loki glances to Arabella, "That can't be good."

"Yes, it could! Might be an early spring!" Volstagg tries to stay upbeat.

They look down, suddenly filled with dread when they see a giant creature breaking free from the ice behind them.

Loki turns to his brother, who battles a group of the Giants. "Thor, we must go!"

Thor, still without his hammer, fights his Jotun foes mercilessly, a man consumed by blood lust. Loki sees the look on his brother's face – the savage thrill of the heat of battle.

"Then go!"

"There are too many of them!" Sif yells to him.

"I can stop them!"

The others hesitate. Jotuns break up through the ice all around them.

"Thor!"

But Thor ignores his comrades and continues fighting.

As a giant creature breaks free from the ice around them, Volstagg yells to them all, "Run!"

Reluctantly, the group flees back toward the inner edge of the planet as the creature gives chase.

Thor battles valiantly, but there's just too many of them. The Frost Giants swarm him from all sides now, as he disappears beneath a pile of blue flesh and ice. After a moment – Thor's fist forces its way up through the middle of the pile of Jotuns. He opens his hand, beckoning. One of Thor's attackers hears something roaring up behind him. He whirls around – BAM! – Mjolnir nails him square in the face, then flies into Thor's outstretched hand. Thor raises the hammer up high, and brings it down on the ground with all his might.

KRAKABOOM! Lightning strikes down from the sky, the hammer channeling the blast, firing the electricity out at the Jotuns around him. They're blasted back in a massive shockwave. The Jotuns convulse, drop dead to the ground.

But the force of the blast also cracks the ice below, the shockwave continuing to spread outwards. It moves out to where his comrades are running, breaking up the ground beneath them, exposing the black void of space below.

Volstagg looks back, "What's Thor done?"

"Likely killed us all!" Loki yells out.

As they reach the edge of the cliff they pause, Loki yells out, "Heimdall! Open the bridge!"

Suddenly in front of them from underneath the cliff, the giant creature rises before them. Thor sees he's put his friends in even greater danger. He raises Mjolnir high, summoning the winds. They lift him off the ground and carry him across the frozen wasteland to his comrades. He flies into the creatures mouth and straight out the back of its head killing it instantly.

Suddenly swirling mists quickly engulf the fleeing Asgardians before them. The Asgardians stand in the mist, unable to see. Hogun takes a step back, the ice cracking beneath him. They dare not move, for fear of falling through, into the void below.

Thor lands beside his comrades in the shroud of mists. "Loki, Arabella, we have to see."

Loki and Arabella glance at one another before they each raise their arms. Loki concentrates, the mists begin dissipating and Arabella blows them away with her wind. But as they do, the Asgardians see before them the faces of the Frost Giants. There are hundreds of them – too many, even for a Thunder God.

Volstagg leans into the two beside him. "Actually, could you bring the mists back, please?"


	4. Banished

**Disclaimer - I do not own Marvel, Thor and anything else related to the two. I only own my original character Arabella as well as anything else that seems out of place.**

* * *

Thor realizes that he and his comrades are as good as dead. The Giants move in for the kill, when they hear a deafening roar. A hole in the sky opens up, and the Bifrost blasts down onto the inner edge of the planet. Out of the maelstrom comes the sound of thundering hooves, and, to the shock of all, upon the raised rock next to them stands – Odin Allfather astride his powerful, eight-legged steed Sleipnir. He's clad in battle armor, Gungnir in his hand – an imposing sight.

"Father! We'll finish them together!" Thor yells out holding Mjolnir up.

"Silence!" Odin orders.

Laufey slams his fists into the ground, and the ice beneath his feet raises him towards Odin. The Asgardians start to react, thinking it's an attack, but Laufey just stands face-to-face with Odin. Asgardian and Jotun alike look on uneasily, unsure what's about to happen.

Laufey sizes up Odin, notices that as powerful as the Allfather still is, the years have taken their toll. He's not the foe he once was. The two rulers talk quietly, out of earshot of the others.

"Allfather. You look weary."

"Laufey. End this now."

"Your boy sought this out."

"You're right. And these are the actions of a boy, treat them as such. You and I can end this here and now, before there's further bloodshed."

Unseen by Odin and the others, Laufey starts to form an ice blade at the end of his arm. "We are beyond diplomacy now, Allfather. He'll get what he came for – war and death."

Odin looks grim, determined. "So be it."

Without warning, Laufey swings his ice blade at Odin, but Odin is quicker. The Allfather brings his spear down upon the ice. Laufey and the nearest Jotuns go falling backwards in a wave, the ice cracking beneath their feet. The other Frost Giants turn tail and run.

Odin raises his spear. The hole in the sky opens, the Bifrost energy blasting forth from it. The Bifrost envelops the Asgardians, yanks them off the ground and up through the hole. The vortex closes behind them as all falls silent. Laufey stares up after them contemptuously.

* * *

"Why did you bring us back?"

"Do you realize what you've done? What you've started?"

"I was protecting my home."

"You cannot even protect your friends! How can you hope to protect a kingdom?" Odin pulls Heimdall's sword from the control panel and throws it to him. Heimdall backs away. Odin turns to the others. "Get him to the healing room! Now!"

Sif, Volstagg, and Hogun hurry to help Fandral out of the room.

"There won't be a kingdom to protect if you're afraid to act!"

Odin stares at him.

"The Jotuns must learn to fear me, just as they once feared you. Whatever the cost, the world must know that the new King of Asgard will not be held in contempt."

"That's pride and vanity talking, not leadership. You've forgotten everything I taught you about a warrior's patience."

"While you wait and be patient, the Nine Realms laugh at us. The old ways are done. You'd stand giving speeches while Asgard falls."

"You are a vain, greedy, cruel boy!"

"And you are an old man and a fool!"

The whole world seems to stop at Thor's words. Odin falls quiet. When he speaks again, there's something terrifying beneath the calmness of his words.

"A fool, yes! I was a fool to think you were ready."

Loki takes a step towards Odin imploringly. "Father—"

Odin turns and gives Loki a look which stops him in his tracks, the God returns to his place next to Arabella, who stands with her head bowed.

"Thor Odinson... You have betrayed the express command of your King. Through your arrogance and stupidity, you've opened these peaceful realms and innocent lives to the horror and desolation of war!"

The Allfather plunges Gungnir into the Observatory's control panel. The turret turns, the Bifrost energy building along with Odin's rage. It fires, as the Bifrost opens at the end of the platform, creating a portal behind Thor. Odin turns angrily to his son.

"You are unworthy of these Realms!" Odin rips a disc off Thor's chest.

"You're unworthy of your title!" He rips away Thor's cloak.

"You're unworthy of the loved ones you have betrayed."

Thor glances over at Loki and Arabella, shock written on their faces as Odin steps away from Thor.

"I now take from you your power!" Odin extends his hand towards his son. Mjolnir goes flying from Thor's grasp into Odin's hand.

"In the name of my father..."

A finger of lightening comes off the hammer and hits Thor, disintegrating the right arm of his armor and part of the chest piece.

"...and his father before..."

Another strike disintegrates the remainder of Thor's armor, including the cape and torn-away disc on the floor.

"I, Odin Allfather, cast you out!"

Odin thrusts Mjolnir before him and – with a crack of thunder – Thor is hurled backwards into the open Bifrost and disappears in the vortex.

Odin holds Mjolnir in his hand, and stares at it bitterly. He closes his eyes, lost in contemplation, whispers something quietly.

"Whosoever holds this hammer, if he be worthy, shall possess the power of Thor."

Runes appear on the side of the hammer, as if carved into its smooth surface. The runes linger for but a moment, then disappear. Suddenly, Odin turns and hurls the hammer into the Bifrost.

After Odin leaves, his head hung down, Loki helps Arabella onto his horse and rides them back to the Palace. No words are spoken between the two. Neither knowing what to say.

* * *

Thor opens his eyes, surrounded by darkness. Suddenly, he's blinded by bright headlights of a vehicle – an SUV. It swerves, the side of it coming straight at him. It slams into him.

After a beat, "I think that was legally your fault."

"Get the first aid kit. Come on, big guy. Do me a favor and don't be dead, okay? Open your eyes and look at me."

Thor opens his eyes to see a small woman staring at him, concerned. She looks vulnerable and beautiful.

"Wow. Does he need CPR? Because I totally know CPR." Darcy says looking at the man.

Jane regretfully watches the storm evaporate above their heads. A thought strikes her. "Where did he come from?"

They exchange puzzled looks when Thor groans again. He sits up abruptly, and Jane topples backwards in surprise. Thor staggers groggily to his feet, then turns and offers Jane a hand up. She takes it hesitantly, and he easily pulls her up. She can't help but marvel at his strength.

"Uh, thanks. Are you okay?"

Thor searches the ground. "Hammer... Hammer…"

"Yeah, we can tell you're hammered. That's pretty obvious." Darcy states with a laugh.

Jane notices something on the ground around them. She shines her flashlight down at the sand. "Oh my God, Erik... look at this."

He joins her at her side and sees it. A faint, discernible pattern is etched into the sand. They exchange a look. Amazed and excited, Jane hurriedly takes out a camera and snaps some photos of the runes. A breeze begins to blow them away.

"We have to move quickly before this all changes. We need soil samples, light readings, everything."

She pulls out a light meter, holds it up, takes some readings, jots them down in her notebook. Selvig looks at Thor, who stares up at the sky. "Jane, we have to take him to the hospital."

Jane kneels and quickly scoops up a soil sample in the canister. "Not right now. It'll take too long. County's an hour away. We'll drop him off after we're done here."

Selvig looks uncertain.

"Look at him, he's fine."

Thor stares up at the stars, shouting up at them angrily. "Father! Heimdall! I know you can hear me! Open the Bifrost!"

Selvig gives Jane a look, "Hospital. You go, I'll stay."

"You expect me to leave you alone in the middle of the desert?"

Thor turns to the others, frustrated. "You! What Realm is this?"

The group is intimidated by his fervor.

"It's all right, my friend. We're going to get you some help." Selvig touches Thor's shoulder.

Thor shoves him off, grows agitated, belligerent. "Where am I?! Answer me!"

Darcy reaches into her fanny pack, pulls something out of it.

Jane looks on, concerned. "Erik, just back away..."

"You're in the desert outside the town of Puente Antiguo."

"What Realm?! Alfheim? Nornheim?"

"Uh... New Mexico?" Darcy says raising a Taser at him.

Thor looks at the weapon, unsure what to make of it. "You dare threaten me, Thor, with so puny a weapon?"

Darcy fires, the electrified wires shooting out of the Taser, zapping him in the chest. Thor convulses, falls to the ground unconscious. Jane and Selvig stare at her, shocked.

"What? He was freaking me out!"

As Jane still takes soil samples, Darcy and Selvig struggle to drag an unconscious Thor to the SUV and lift him inside.

"Next time you decide to Taser somebody, make sure he's already inside the truck, okay? Jane! Come on..."

Reluctantly, Jane joins the others inside the SUV.

The SUV heads off into the distance. Behind it, high overhead, a hole opens in the sky. A last blast of Bifrost energy bursts forth from it, and a small object comes firing down from the sky. It burns across the desert sky like a meteor.

* * *

Back in town at County, the SUV sits parked before the emergency room entrance. Inside Selvig watches the unconscious Thor with interest as two orderlies set the Asgardian onto a gurney. Jane and Darcy stand before a sweet, ditzy admissions Nurse.

"Name?"

"He said it was "Thor."

The Nurse painstakingly types it into the computer, one key at a time. Jane watches as Thor is wheeled out of the room.

The Nurse types slowly repeating every letter she types in. "T-H-O-R. And your relationship to him?"

"I've never met him before."

"Until she hit him with a car." Darcy pipes up.

"I grazed him, but she tasered him."

"Yes, I did." Darcy says proudly.

The Nurse looks at Jane sympathetically, "Must have been quite the spat."

"I told you, I don't know him. I just want to make sure he's okay."

"I'm going to need a name and contact number."

"Jane Foster."

Again she types slowly repeating herself, "J...A...N..."

"Oh, for God's sake..." Selvig reaches over Jane's shoulder and hands the Nurse his business card. "Here. Let's go."

Selvig, Darcy, and Jane head out.

* * *

Thor, now in a hospital gown, winces in pain as he awakens on a gurney to find a Nurse standing over him, a syringe in his arm.

"Hi. Just taking a little blood."

Thor slaps the syringe away angrily and starts to sit up. "How dare you attack the son of Odin!"

"I need some help!"

Two orderlies race over and try to hold Thor down.

"We're trying to help you!"

"Then bring me a healing stone, you savages!"

He hurls one of them off, smashing against a wall. Now a couple Security guards and male Nurses join the fracas, all struggling to hold Thor down. Medical equipment goes flying, furniture overturned.

"What the hell is this guy on?"

Finally, they force him back down onto the gurney. Thor looks shocked and amazed that he's actually being overpowered by this small group. The Nurse injects him with a sedative right in his ass cheek.

"You're no match for the Mighty—" Thor struggles a beat, then passes out.


	5. Accusations and Pop Tarts

**Disclaimer - I do not own Marvel, Thor and anything else related to the two. I only own my original character Arabella as well as anything else that seems out of place.**

* * *

The next morning, smoke rises from a fifty foot wide crater. A townie pulls his pick-up to a stop at the crater's edge. He climbs out, peers down below, his curiosity piqued by what he sees.

"Huh."

The Townie approaches something at the center of the crater. It bathes him in an otherworldly, blue luminous glow. He reaches for the object, tries to lift it, but can't. He redoubles his efforts, strains with all his might, with no luck. He takes off his hat, fans himself, stares at the mysterious object.

"Huh."

* * *

Selvig appears with a cup of coffee and surveys the vast desert. He turns back into the lab and sees Jane, busy at her workstation, soldering a piece of equipment. A printer churns out blown-up screen-cap photos of the Bifrost footage. Darcy hangs them on the wall. Selvig surveys the scene, watches how Jane works, impressed. He notices a monitor which displays a complex program entitled "J. Foster Algorithm Analysis." He looks proud. The three of them have been up all night, fueled by caffeine and excitement.

"Darcy, when you're done, take the soil samples to Professor Meyers in geology. Remind him, he owes me."

"We might want to perform a spectral analysis."

"We?" Jane says with a raised eyebrow at Selvig.

"I flew all the way out here – might as well make myself useful."

This is the offer Jane's been waiting for. She gets up, inserts the piece of equipment she's been working on into a rack-mounted server.

"You know what would be really useful? Do you still have that friend at LIGO?"

"She was more than a friend."

"Could you call in a favor?"

"You don't think this was just a magnetic storm, do you?"

"If I'm right, their observatory must have picked up gravitational waves during last night's event."

"Meaning?"

Jane heads over to a computer monitor. Selvig follows. "Meaning these anomalies might signify something bigger."

"How "big" are we talking about?"

Jane indicates the footage on the monitor. As the last of the Bifrost cloud disappears into the night sky, there appears to be a blister in space, bulging out in convex and covered with stars.

"Look, the lensing around these edges is characteristic of an Einstein-Rosen Bridge."

"A what?" Darcy asks coming over to the two.

"I thought you were a science major."

"Political Science."

Selvig shoots Jane a confused look. Jane shrugs. "She was the only applicant."

Selvig turns to Darcy, "An Einstein-Rosen Bridge is a "theoretical" connection between two different points of space-time."

Darcy stares blankly.

Jane turns to the girl, "It's a wormhole."

Selvig looks skeptical as Jane prints out a frame-grab off the monitor.

"Erik, look..." Jane indicates the print-out showing the constellations seen through the "bubble" in the clouds. "What do you see?"

"Stars."

"Yeah, but not our stars." She spreads out a star chart, barely able to contain her excitement. "This is the star alignment for our quadrant, this time of year. So unless Ursa Minor decided to take the day off... those are someone else's constellations."

Selvig's intrigued, in spite of himself.

Darcy pulls another frame-grab of the Bifrost footage from the printer and hangs it on the wall, when something in the image catches her eye. "Hey, check this out."

Jane and Selvig examine the photo, amazed.

"No, it can't be..." Selvig trails off.

"I think I left something at the hospital." As Jane walks away, the other two study the picture. Inside the Bifrost funnel cloud is a figure – the vague, but unmistakable shape of a man.

* * *

At the top of the Palace, a small figure stands on the balcony. It is a burdened Odin, looking out over Asgard.

Frigga enters to find Odin standing lost in thought. "How could you have done this?"

"Do you understand what he has set in motion? He's taken us to the brink of war!"

"But banishment?! You would lose him forever? He's your son!"

"What would you have done?"

"I would not have exiled him to a world of mortals, stripped of his powers, to suffer alone. I would not have had the heart for such cruelty!"

"That is why I am King. I, too, grieve the loss of our son. But there are some things that even I cannot undo."

"You can bring him back."

"No! His fate is in his own hands now."

* * *

Thor awakens on a hospital bed. He notices restraints on his wrists now. He pulls at them, tries to free himself, to no avail. "It's not possible!" He tries again, mustering all his strength. One of his hands slips free from its restraint.

* * *

Jane again faces the Admissions Nurse, with Selvig and Darcy nearby.

"I'm sorry, only relatives can visit patients."

"But... I'm his wife."

Darcy stifles a snicker at this, as the Nurse looks doubtful.

"I thought you said you didn't know him."

"I meant I barely know him anymore. The man he's become. He's changed. I mean, what woman really knows her husband, anyway?"

"None of us, dear. He's in Room 102."

Jane, Selvig, and Darcy head down the corridor, passing the destruction of the ER Thor wrecked the previous night. They enter Thor's room to find Thor's bed empty.

* * *

Back out in the parking lot Jane, Selvig, and Darcy quickly climb into Jane's SUV.

Jane starts the car, frustrated. "I just lost my most important piece of evidence. Typical"

"So now what?"

"We find him."

Selvig is worried now, "Did you see what he did in there? I'm not sure finding him is the best idea."

"Well our data can't tell us what it was like to be inside that event, I want to know what that thing was, and he can. So we're gonna find him."

"Oo-kay." Darcy pulls out her Taser and a can of mace.

"So we're gonna look all over New Mexico, right?"

"Exactly." Jane puts the car in reverse and backs up, when – BAM! She collides with Thor again, dressed in stolen hospital scrubs.

Jane and Selvig exchange a look before they jump out of the SUV, and help Thor to his feet.

"I'm so sorry. I swear I'm not doing this on purpose."

Thor looks up at the sky. "Blue sky... one sun... This is Earth, isn't it?"

Darcy scoffs, "I think you may have hit him with the car one time too many."

"Let's get you some clothes."

* * *

Out at the crater, cars, pick-ups, and SUVs are parked around the crater, the sound of a boisterous party coming from within. It looks like the whole town has turned out. Locals sit on lounge chairs, drink beer from coolers, laugh and talk. They watch the center of the crater, where large men have formed a line to take a turn with the mysterious object. One of them struggles and fails to lift it. As he gives up, the next man steps up and takes his turn, straining from the effort. Other Townies snap pictures of the scene with their cell phones.

They hear an approaching rumble, then clear a path as a large pick-up truck backs its way down the crater's edge. An eager townie hops out the passenger side and pulls a thick chain from the back of the truck. He fastens one end around the object, then securely affixes the chain to the bumper and the rear of the undercarriage.

"This'll do it." He yells to the driver. "Okay, let 'er rip!"

The townsfolk watch as the pick-up's engine roars, then strains, its wheels spinning futilely, until finally the entire bed of the truck is ripped right off the chassis. People dive out of the way. The pick-up driver sticks his head out, he looks back, shocked. The townsfolk laugh, the party continuing. They don't notice as – on the crater's edge above them, an imposing Government vehicle pulls up to a stop.

A Fed in a suit climbs out, peers down at the boisterous gathering below, his eyes fixed on the object at the center of the crater. He is SHIELD Agent Coulson. He stares down at the object which glows with an otherworldly blue energy – MJOLNIR. He pulls out a phone.

"Sir – we found it."

* * *

In a back room, Thor, now shirtless and wearing jeans, looks around for a t-shirt. Jane and Darcy, standing in the lab, can't help but notice his reflection in the mirror. Darcy eyes his powerful build, rippling biceps.

"You know, for a crazy homeless person, he's pretty cut."

Jane turns away. Thor emerges from the back room, holding a t-shirt.

"Hey, sorry I tased you!"

Thor heads over to Jane's work area, starts fiddling with the equipment there with interest. Jane hurries over to put a stop to it.

"Excuse me... excuse me!"

She leads him away from the work station. Thor holds up the t-shirt. On the front, it bears a sticker which reads: "HELLO, MY NAME IS DR. DONALD BLAKE." Thor looks at it, puzzled. "What is this?"

Jane rips the sticker off. "Oh. My ex. Good with patients and bad with relationships."

Thor stares at her a beat.

"Uh, they're the only clothes I had that'll fit you. Sorry."

"They will suffice." Thor turns his attention to the pictures of the Bifrost on the wall.

"You're welcome. Now tell me..."

Thor studies the frame-grabs with interest. Jane points to his form in the Bifrost photo.

"What were you doing, in that?"

He glances at it, dismissive. "What does anyone do in the Bifrost?"

Everyone stares at him. Selvig seems to recognize the word. Jane opens her notebook, quickly writes the word down. Thor moves close to her, eyes the notations and drawings within the book, curious.

Selvig eyes the man, amused, skeptical. "The Bifrost..."

Jane starts to get uncomfortable with Thor standing so close to her, looking over her notations. She quickly closes the book. "What exactly is the Bifrost?"

Thor ignores her, "This mortal form has grown weak. I need sustenance."

"But— Somebody get the mortal a Pop-Tart."


	6. Truth & Lies

**Disclaimer - I do not own Marvel, Thor and anything else related to the two. I only own my original character Arabella as well as anything else that seems out of place.**

* * *

Inside the healing room, Sif, and the Warriors three, battered and shell-shocked, still reeling from the day's events, sit before a roaring central fire. Loki stands next to the fire, gazing at Arabella who stands on the platform looking out over the city. The gash in her side has healed but the skin surrounding it is still blackened.

Hogun reaches into the flames, and pulls out some fragile healing stones. Neither the fire, nor the stones burn him. As he carefully places the stones over the wounds of his comrades, the stones begin to glow. He crushes them to a powder. His comrades' injuries heal up at the glowing powder's touch.

Fandral winces in pain as Hogun heals his gaping wound.

Volstagg looks at the skin on his arm – healing, but still blackened from the necrotizing touch of the Frost Giant.

Loki watches him, then stares at his own arm, where the Giant's touch turned his skin blue. It's undamaged, back to its normal color.

Volstagg takes a drink from his cup, "We should never have let him go."

"There was no stopping him." Sif says from her place across the fire.

Fandral sits forward, "Well, at least he's only banished, not dead. Which is what we'd all be if that guard hadn't told Odin where we'd gone."

Volstagg winces as Hogun rubs the powder onto his arm. "How did the guard even know?"

Loki stares at his arm. "I told him."

Fandral look sup from his seat to Loki standing on his left. "What?"

"I told him to go to Odin after we'd left. He should be flogged for taking so long. We should never have reached Jotunheim."

"You told the guard?" Volstagg says bitterly.

"I saved our lives. And Thor's. I had no idea Father would banish him for what he did."

"You couldn't have known." Arabella says laying her hand on Loki's arm. The look in her eyes tells him she saw what happened to his arm on Jotunheim and she wants answers.

Sif stands approaching the two. "Loki, Arabella, you're the only ones who can help Thor now. You must go to the Allfather and convince him to change his mind."

"And if we do, then what? I love Thor more dearly than any of you, but you know what he is. He's arrogant. He's reckless. He's dangerous. You saw how he was today. Is that what Asgard needs from its King?"

The others exchange glances, torn. Loki has a point. He leaves the room. Hogun stares after him.

Sif shakes her head, "He may speak of the good of Asgard, but he's always been jealous of Thor."

"He has every right to be." The tone in Arabella's voice tells them not to speak ill of Loki in her presence.

Volstagg speaks up, "True, but we should be grateful to him. He did save our lives."

Hogun speaks up for the first time, "Laufey said, there were traitors in the House of Odin." The others turn to the usually quiet Hogun. "A master of magic could easily bring three Jotuns into Asgard."

Fandral sighs, "Why is it every time you choose to speak, it has to be something dark and ominous?"

The others look to Hogun, understanding the implication, their eyes glance uneasily to Arabella who stands quietly by the door.

Fandral stands, "Loki's always been one for mischief, but you're talking about something else entirely."

Sif agrees, "Who else could elude Heimdall's gaze with tricks of light and shadow?"

"The ceremony was interrupted just before Thor was named King." Volstagg reminds them.

"We should go to the Allfather." Sif says.

Fandral scoffs, "And tell him what? "Oh, by the way, we think your son just betrayed the throne. And do us a favor. Bring back Thor. There's a good fellow!"

Sif glares at him, "It's our duty. If any of our suspicions are right, then all of Asgard is in danger."

The four breath a sigh of relief as Arabella leaves the room, the door slamming shut behind her. Though they were only speaking their thoughts, they were afraid they had angered the Angel and they knew that was not something you wanted to do.

* * *

Truthfully Arabella had listened and taken in every word they had to say. She didn't like to admit it, but her mind had been thinking the same thing. Loki had the power to sneak someone in, he was deceitful enough to deceive them all and after a lifetime of pain and living in Thor's shadow, he was angry enough to betray his family. Arabella knew Loki better than anyone and that is precisely why she knew he was capable of something like this. And that thought alone was what was leading her to the vault.

* * *

Loki heads into the Vault and sees the Casket of Ancient Winters sitting on its stand. He walks over to it slowly, reaches out to it, grasps it by the handles on either side and lifts it off its pedestal. As he does, a blueness spreads from his arms, across his body. The latticework behind the Casket starts to separate, the Destroyer rousing. A fire starts to glow within its black metal armor, as it rattles to life, but Loki ignores it – the blueness spreading further, consuming his whole body.

"Stop!"

Loki doesn't turn but hears Odin hurrying into the room, Arabella behind him. The Destroyer goes motionless, the latticework rejoining before it. Odin eyes Loki with dismay.

"Am I cursed?"

"No."

Loki sets the Casket back upon its pedestal. "What am I?"

"You're my son."

Loki turns to face them, his entire face and hands are blue just as the Frost Giants. Arabella gasps as she meets his eyes which instead of the deep green, are blood red. The blue fades after a moment, his eyes returning to their Emerald green. "What more than that?"

Odin doesn't answer. He looks suddenly weary, burdened.

Loki sizes him up and realizes the truth, he walks across the floor towards his Father. "The Casket wasn't the only thing you took from Jotunheim that day, was it?"

Odin looks him in the eye. He can deny it no longer. "No. In the aftermath of the battle, I went into the Temple, and I found a baby. Small for a giant's offspring – abandoned, suffering, left to die. Laufey's son."

Loki is sent reeling by the revelation. "Laufey's son..."

"Yes."

His breathing quickens as he desperately struggles to make sense of it all. "Why? You were knee-deep in Jotun blood, why would you take me?"

"You were an innocent child."

"No. You took me for a purpose. What was it?"

Odin doesn't answer.

"Tell me!"

"I thought we could unite our kingdoms one day. Bring about an alliance, bring about permanent peace... Through you."

"What?" Loki breaths heavily, unshed tears glistening in his eyes.

"But those plans no longer matter."

"So I am no more than another stolen relic, locked up here until you might have use of me."

The pain and tears in his voice clenches Arabella's heart, her eyes well with tears at the look on his face as he realizes what he truly is and he was nothing more than a war trophy. She now understands why he looks different from his family, why he acts different and why Odin has always favored Thor above him.

"Why do you twist my words?"

"You could have told me what I was from the beginning, why didn't you?"

"You're my son. My blood. I wanted only to protect you from the truth."

"What, because… Because I—I—I—I'm the monster who parents tell their children about at night?"

"No, no."

"You know, it all makes sense now! Why you favored Thor all these years!"

Odin begins to shake, he sets down on the steps. "Listen..."

"Because no matter how much you claim to "love" me, you could never have a Frost Giant sitting on the throne of Asgard!"

Odin's body begins to shake, he lifts his hand reaching for Loki. It starts to move out of synch temporarily, leaving a trail, the effect of the Odinsleep approaching. Loki doesn't notice as Odin tries to fight it off.

Loki strides away towards the exit, brushing past Arabella quite forcefully.

"Loki." She pleads with her friend. "Loki!"

Odin starts towards him, when the enormous mental, emotional, and physical strain of recent events finally takes its toll. The effect of the Odinsleep consumes him. His entire body now moves out of sync with the rest of the world, leaving trails behind him as he staggers backwards. Odin falls back against a wall, his face contorting in a scream. He collapses to the stone floor.

"Father!" Arabella yells dropping down next to Odin, cradling his head in her lap. Loki, shocked, hurries to her side. He reaches his hand out laying it on top of his father's hand. "Guards! Guards, please, help!"

* * *

Frigga sits at her husband's bedside, holding his hand. Odin lies there – looking pale and lifeless, his body and the space around it warped from the effect of the Odinsleep. The walls of the chamber have moved close around him, protecting him like a dark crypt, sealing off any daylight.

Loki and Arabella stand at her side offering the woman comfort. The silence is deafening to Loki as he moves, heading for the exit. He pauses when they hear the clatter of armored footsteps hurriedly approaching. The Einherjar Guard enter the room, blocking his way out. Loki tenses as does Arabella, prepared for the worst, but the guards just stand before them. Loki is baffled as his Mother speaks.

"Thor is banished. The line of succession falls to you. Until he awakens, Asgard is yours."

The Einherjar kneel before the shocked Loki. Another Einherjar enters, holding Gungnir before him. He kneels before Loki and offers the spear to him.

"Make your father proud."

Loki reaches out tentatively, then takes it. He likes the feel of it in his hand.


	7. King Loki

**Disclaimer - I do not own Marvel, Thor and anything else related to the two. I only own my original character Arabella as well as anything else that seems out of place.**

Thank you to those that have reviewed, favorited and followed this story and myself I do greatly appreciate it.

* * *

Thor, Selvig, Darcy, and Jane sit at a table in the local diner. Selvig and Darcy watch as Thor eats ravenously from a huge mound of steak and eggs. A couple other full plates – pancakes and biscuits and gravy – are piled high before him.

Jane's eager, her notebook at the ready. "Now tell us exactly what happened to you last night."

Thor looks her in the eyes, staring, intrigued. Jane gets flustered, looks away.

"Maybe start with how you got inside that cloud."

"And how you could eat an entire box of Pop-Tarts and still be this hungry?"

Jane shoots Darcy a withering look.

Thor downs a cup of coffee. "This drink, I like it."

Darcy smiles at him, "I know. It's great, right? Isabela makes the best coffee in town."

Thor hurls the empty mug at the ground, shattering it. "Another!"

Isabela Alvarez, a woman in her 60's and the diner's proprietor, glares at Thor from behind the counter.

"Sorry, Izzy. Little accident."

"Yo voy a pagar la taza." Isabela turns to a waitress and starts venting quickly in Spanish. "Did you see that? The first time she brings a man in here, and he's a lunatic!"

"What was that?"

He doesn't understand. The other patrons stare at him. "It was delicious. I want another."

"Well, you could have just said so."

"I just did."

"No, I mean, ask for it. Nicely."

"I meant no disrespect."

"All right. Well, no more smashing, deal?"

"You have my word."

"Good."

A few townies, looking bedraggled, enter and take a seat at the counter. They are two of them men from the crater. Among them is the Drunk Townie Jake, who is not presently drunk.

Isabela smiles at them, "Morning, Pete. Jake."

Pete smiles back at her, "The usual, please, Izzy."

Isabela pours them a couple cups of coffee.

"You missed all the excitement out at the crater." Jake tells her.

"What crater?"

Jane and Selvig overhear this, exchange a look, turn to the Townies with interest.

"They're saying some kind of satellite landed out in the desert."

"We were having a good time with it till the Feds showed up, chased us out."

Jane quickly turns to the men, "Excuse me, did you say there was a satellite crash?"

"Yep. They said it was radioactive. And I had my hands all over it. I'm probably sterile now."

Thor, unconcerned, prepares to dig into the giant pile of pancakes.

Darcy is amazed by the sight. "Oh, my God. This is going on Facebook." Darcy whips out her cellphone. "Smile!"

Thor gives her the biggest closed mouth smile he can muster with his mouth full of food.

Selvig urges the men, "What did the satellite look like?"

"I don't know nothing about satellites. But it was heavy. Real heavy. Nobody could lift it."

This gets Thor's attention. Thor springs to his feet, heading over to Drunk Townie Jake, and pulls the man around to face him.

"Where?!"

"Fifty miles west of here."

Thor grins, his spirits soaring, as he quickly strides out of the diner.

"I wouldn't bother! Looked like the whole Army was coming in when we left!"

* * *

Outside in the street, Thor studies the position of the sun, gauging his bearings. Jane, Darcy, and Selvig catch up to him.

"Where are you going?"

"Fifty miles west of here." He starts to stride determinedly down the street.

Jane walks with him. "Why?"

"To get what belongs to me."

"So now you own a satellite?"

Thor turns to her smiling, "It's not what they say it is."

"Whatever it is, the government seems to think it's theirs. You intend to just walk in there and take it?"

"Yes." He stops walking. "If you take me there now, I'll tell you everything you wish to know."

"Everything?"

"All the answers you seek will be yours, once I reclaim Mjolnir."

Darcy looks to the others. "Myeu-muh? What's "Myeu-muh?"

Jane studies Thor. He looks sincere. She's nearly swayed when Selvig jumps in. "Can I have a word, Jane." He pulls her aside. Thor can tell that Selvig doesn't much care for him. "Please don't do this."

"You know what we saw last night. This can't be a coincidence. I want to know what's in that crater."

"I'm not talking about the crater. I'm talking about him."

"He's promised us answers."

"He's delusional! Listen to what he's saying! "Thor." "Bifrost." "Mjolnir." These are the stories I grew up with as a child!"

"I'd just be driving him out there, that's all."

"It's dangerous. He's dangerous."

After a moment, she nods. They head back over to Thor.

"I'm sorry. I can't take you."

"I understand. Then this is where we say goodbye." He takes her hand and kisses it.

"That's... thank you."

Thor bows slightly to each of them. "Jane Foster... Erik Selvig... Darcy. Farewell." He gives them a slight final bow then turns and heads off down the street.

* * *

Selvig looks relieved. "Now... let's get back to the lab. We have work to do."

Selvig and Darcy turn and start to go. Jane looks after Thor as he walks away down the street.

Jane, Selvig, and Darcy head up the street. They're by Arturo's, when a pick-up truck pulls up before them, stopped by traffic. In the back of the vehicle, Jane notices, partially covered by a tarp, the dark matter analysis machine from her lab.

"Hey! That's my stuff!"

Jane, Selvig, and Darcy reach the lab, where government vehicles are parked. SHIELD Agents haul equipment out of the lab and load it into waiting vans. Other Agents strip all the equipment from inside the Pinzgauer and cart it away. Still others emerge from her trailer, arms loaded with scientific instruments and documents.

"What the hell is going on here?!"

The Agents ignore her as Agent Coulson approaches. "Ms. Foster, I'm Agent Coulson, with SHIELD."

Selvig, recognizing the name of the organization, grows wary.

"Is that supposed to mean something to me? I don't care who you work for, you can't do this!"

Selvig takes her arm, "Jane. This is more serious than you realize. Let it go."

"Let it go?! This is my life!"

"We're here investigating a security threat. We need to appropriate your equipment and all your atmospheric data."

"By "appropriate" do you mean "steal?"

Instead of answering, Coulson gives her a check. "This should more than compensate you for your trouble."

She throws the check to the ground without looking at it. "I can't just pick up replacements from RadioShack! I made most of this equipment myself!"

"Then I'm sure you can do it again."

"And I'm sure I can sue you for violating my constitutional rights!"

"We're the good guys, Ms. Foster."

He tries to walk away, but Jane blocks his path. She is fully herself, fueled by outrage.

"So are we! I'm on the verge of understanding something extraordinary." Jane holds up her notebook. "And everything I know about this phenomenon is either in this lab and in this book, and no one has the right to take it from me… Hey!"

Coulson gestures to a nearby Agent, who promptly plucks the notebook out of Jane's hands and adds it to the pile he's carrying. Jane is stunned.

"Thank you for your cooperation." He gets into a car. The cars and trucks pull away.

* * *

Jane, Selvig, and Darcy sit up on the roof, staring in shock at the now-empty space.

"Years of research, gone."

"They even took my iPod." Darcy says glumly.

"And your back-ups?"

"Look around! They took our back- ups. They took the back-ups of our back-ups. They were extremely thorough."

"I just downloaded, like, thirty songs on there."

"Will you please stop talking about your iPod?!" She turns to Erik, "Who are these people?"

"No one knows much about them. But I knew a scientist – a pioneer in gamma radiation. SHIELD showed up, and he was never heard from again."

"I'm not going to let them do this. I'm getting everything back."

"Please, let me contact one of my colleagues. Dr. Pym has had some dealings with these people. I'll e-mail him and see if he can help."

"They took your laptop, too."

Selvig gives Darcy an annoyed look before thinking…

* * *

Arabella strides into the throne room, kneeling down at the bottom of the stairs, she bows her head. "My Lord, may I speak with you."

Loki smiles at his friend, "Bella you need not bow to me, ever. Nor do I wish you to address me so formally."

She lifts her head, a small smile gracing her face but it is quickly replaced with a look of concern. Loki watches a flurry of emotions flit across her face as she stands before him.

"I need answers Loki, and I very much hope you will honor me with the truth."

Loki nods his head, sitting patiently, awaiting her concerns.

"Now that I know what you are, I want you to know that I understand everything you have been through in your life."

Loki nods, he knew if anyone would understand it would be Arabella.

"However, I know you very well. So I know that if anyone had a motive and the means to bring the Frost-Giants here, it would be you."

Arabella searches his eyes for any indication she is wrong, but his face is a mask of stone. "You are the God of Lies, but I believe there is more to you than that. I know you are a good man, and would make a great King."

His pride swells with her admonition.

"But this is not the way a King gets his throne."

"I see where you are coming from Bella, but I hear no questions being asked, only your thoughts being spoken."

Arabella's temper flares, "Did you bring the Frost-Giants here?"

"Yes."

"You betrayed your family?"

"Yes."

"You betrayed me."

Loki finds he doesn't have an answer for her, this was not a question, it was a statement. Truthfully, Arabella was the last person Loki ever wanted to hurt and now he had done the worst thing imaginable. She had stood by him every day for the last two years she had been there. She had taken to him more quickly than she had Thor and the two had been nigh inseparable.

She was his best friend. He knew he could never lie to her and he hadn't. Even though he knew what could happen if he told her the truth. And yet… Here she was still standing before him. She wasn't calling for the guards, she wasn't berating him or worse beating him to a pulp, which she could. She was simply standing there regarding him with a look of… understanding.

He had betrayed his home, his family and her. And she understood. That floored Loki. He had no idea what to say, and before he could say anything, the guards announced the oncoming presence of the warriors.

"We will finish this later." Arabella warns him, finality in her tone as she moves up standing beside him on the throne.

"I look forward to it." He is surprised to see her standing next to him, just as his mother would for Odin. Perhaps he could finally have everything he wanted.

* * *

Two Einherjar guards enter, admitting Sif and the Warriors Three, who burst through the entrance, heads bowed.

Lady Sif steps forward first, "Allfather, we must speak with you urgently—"

But as they raise their heads, they stop short to see – Loki. Sitting sprawled upon his father's throne. He wears his horned ceremonial headdress and holds Gungnir in his hand, Arabella standing beside him. Sif and the others look up, shocked at the sight before them.

Loki smirks, "My friends... you haven't heard? I am now Ruler of Asgard."

Fandral looks around, "Where is Odin?"

"Father has fallen into the Odinsleep. Mother fears he may never awaken again."

Again Sif speaks first, "We would speak with her."

Loki notices as the four exchange glances.. "She has refused to leave my father's bedside. You can bring your "urgent" matter to me." He sits up slowly, then stands. "Your King."

Sif covers quickly as the four kneel to their King. "My King, we would ask that you end Thor's banishment."

Loki scoffs as he descends the steps towards them. "My first command cannot be to undo the Allfather's last. We're on the brink of war with Jotunheim. Our people need a sense of continuity, in order to feel safe in these difficult times. All of us must stand together, for the good of Asgard."

Sif stands up taking a step towards Loki, but she is stopped by Fandral who looks to his King. "Of course."

"Good. Then you will wait for my word."

Volstagg clears his throat, "If I may… beg the indulgence of Your Majesty to perhaps reconsider…"

"We're done!"

Sif and the Warriors Three bow their heads and exit. Loki stares after them.

* * *

…Selvig and Jane in the Pinzgauer drive up in front of the town's rinky-dink library. A sign in the window reads, "FREE INTERNET."

"I'll just be a minute." He climbs out and heads inside.

It's story time in the library, as a Librarian reads a book – "THE SECRET HISTORY OF GIANTS" – to a group of kids.

"And though they're large, giants can be quiet. You have to listen carefully for the sound of their footsteps – because they may be closer than you think."

Nearby, Selvig sits at a computer terminal, finishing up his e-mail. Beside him, a kid flips through a book with interest. The Librarian stops mid-story and calls to the Kid pleasantly.

"Joshua, come sit down. It's story time." The Kid closes his book and joins the others.

Selvig looks over, notices the title of the book the Kid was reading – "MYTHS AND LEGENDS FROM AROUND THE WORLD." He picks it up, flips through it, stops at the section on Scandinavian Mythology. It's a picture of a rainbow bridge coming down from Asgard to earth. Asgardians walk upon it, among them Odin, Loki, and Thor, who wields Mjolnir. On the ground below them, a group of Vikings kneel reverently. He eyes the illustration, pondering.

* * *

Jane looks down the street and sees something that intrigues her.

Thor enters a pet store and approaches the clerk. "I need a horse!"

"Sorry, we don't sell horses. Just dogs, cats, birds..."

"Then give me one of those large enough to ride."

The Pet Store Clerk looks confused. Just then, Thor hears a car horn. He turns to the open door. Across the street, Jane calls to him from the Pinzgauer.

"You still want a lift?"

Jane's Pinzgauer cuts off the road, heads over the rugged terrain. Storm clouds roll in over the desert sky. Jane drives, pumped with adrenaline, nervous and excited, as Thor sits beside her, upbeat and eager for battle.

"I've never done anything like this before. Have you ever done anything like this before?"

Thor looks amused by her excitement. "Many times. You're brave to do it."

"They just stole my entire life's work. I really don't have much left to lose."

"But you're clever. Far more clever than anyone else in this Realm."

"Realm?" "Realm?" Why do you talk like that?"

"You think me strange?"

Jane laughs but catches herself. "Yeah. Just a little."

"Good strange or bad strange?"

"I'm not quite sure yet."

She looks at him, sees him staring at her. She's lost in his gaze, distracted, when the Pinzgauer lurches. She quickly turns her eyes forward, regains control of the car.

"Sorry." She glances back at him. He's confident, determined. "Who are you? Really?"

"You'll see soon enough."

"You promised me answers."

Thor looks at her, charmed by her persistence. "What you seek – it's a bridge."

"A bridge? Like an Einstein-Rosen Bridge?"

"More like a Rainbow Bridge."

A beat passes. "God, I hope you're not crazy."

As the Pinzgauer heads away having no idea what awaits them over the hillside. A light illuminating the valley beyond, a massive SHIELD base. Now set up around the crater – vehicles, trailers, barricades. Armed guards man a gate in the razor wire fence that runs fifty yards from the crater's edge, enclosing the complex. Clear, plastic access tubes with junction boxes lead to a translucent cube structure erected in the middle of the crater. Through the glass walls of the base's command trailer, we see Coulson directing technicians, busy at work. Within the cube structure itself, a team of SHIELD scientists work with high-tech machinery, analyzing the object at the center of it all – Mjolnir.


	8. Family Time

**I do not own Marvel, Thor or any of its characters. I only own my original character Arabella and anything else that seems out of place.**

**Thank you to everyone who has chosen to favorite, follow and review this story.**

* * *

Frigga sits at her husband's bedside, holding his hand. Loki again enters and sits at Odin's side, across from Frigga, Arabella by his side. The Queen looks up gazing at her son's troubled face.

"You can speak to him. He can see and hear us, even now."

"I never get used to seeing him like this. The most powerful being in the Nine Realms lying helpless until his body is restored."

"But he's put it off for so long now, that I fear..."

"How long will it last?"

"I don't know. This time is different. We were unprepared. I asked him to be honest with you from the beginning. There should be no secrets in a family."

"So why did he lie?"

"He kept the truth from you so that you would never feel different. You are in every way our son, Loki, and we, your family. You must know that."

Loki takes this in as he stares at Odin. He gives his Mother a small grim smile, she's grateful as she wipes the tears from her eyes.

"You're a good son."

Loki sits there, uncertain how to react, uncertain how he really feels.

"We mustn't lose hope that your father will return to us. And your brother."

Loki looks to Frigga, concerned. "What hope is there for Thor?"

"There's always a purpose to everything your father does. Thor may yet find a way home."

Loki looks troubled by the revelation.


	9. Heated Words & Mud Fights

**I do not own Marvel, Thor or any of its characters. I only own my original character Arabella and anything else that seems out of place.**

**Thank you to everyone who has chosen to favorite, follow and review this story.**

* * *

Jane and Thor crawl to the edge of the ridge, look through binoculars, see the impressive SHIELD base.

"That isn't a satellite crash. They would have hauled the wreckage away, not built a city around it."

Thor shrugs out of his jacket and hands it to her. "You're going to need this."

"What? Wait, why?—" Thunder rumbles overhead. She stares at him intently and takes his jacket.

"Stay here. Once I have Mjolnir, I will return what they stole from you." He looks to her, already knowing that Jane may disobey his request. "Deal?"

"No! Look what's down there! You can't just walk in, grab our stuff, and walk out!"

"No."

Jane looks relieved.

"I'm going to fly out."

Before she can react, he starts heading towards the crater. The first drops of rain begin to patter into the dust. "Wait..." But Thor is already headed towards the crater.

* * *

A needle spikes on a handheld sensor device. The technician holding it looks over at the hammer. Mjolnir begins to give off a subtle glow. A bolt of lightning cracks across the sky above.

A younger SHIELD agent, a techie in a headset, monitors security.

Agent Sitwell, humorless, just this side of junior, looks on, none-too-pleased.

"Sir, feed from the keyhole can barely penetrate the cloud cover." The Techie hikes a thumb at another monitor, squelching with static. It shows an SAR shot of the area, laid over a terrain map. "Tech's barely working as it is, with all the interference that thing's giving off." He gestures towards the hammer. He checks a computer. "And, we've got a commercial aircraft coming in right over us, Southwest Airlines Flight 5434."

Agent Sitwell approaches, "Reroute it, like all the others."

"Right. Can I get the passengers some free drinks for the trouble?"

Sitwell glares at him.

The Techie shrugs, "It'd be a nice gesture." The Techie types into the computer, when he notices something on another screen, holds up a hand. "Hold a sec... we got something outside the fence, west side..." He points at the screen. Through the haze, it shows a thermal image huddled beside the fence.

Sitwell turns to his radio, "Delancey, Jackson. West side perimeter. Go check it out."

A pair of SHIELD Agents, Delancey and Jackson, take off in a side-by-side ATV to investigate.

Sitwell looks out the window, something strange catching his attention. In the window's reflection that a glow is coming from the hammer containment area.

The ATV pulls up as the Agents scan the fence with a flashlight, they see nothing unusual.

Agent Jackson reports back, "Looks like we're good here. Must have been another coyote."

Just then, the Agents notice a section of the fence has been bent up from the ground, leaving a gap. Before they can call it in, a massive crack of lightning illuminates the night sky – revealing the silhouette of a large man standing outside the driver's (Jackson's) side of the ATV. DeLancey looks over, notices.

"Jackson?"

The Agents reach for their weapons. Thor elbows the driver across the jaw, causing him to drop his weapon. Jackson slumps over the steering wheel, as DeLancey starts to raise a shotgun at Thor. Thor grabs the barrel, yanks it out of DeLancey's hands and thrusts the hilt back, smashing the Agent's jaw. Thor reaches into the ATV to grab a rain slicker.

Sitwell talks into his radio, starting to look worried. "Delancey, Jackson – report."

Thor, now wearing a SHIELD rain slicker, makes his way across the base. Another SHIELD Agent approaches the ATV and spots the unconscious DeLancey and Jackson. He quickly calls into his radio.

"Agents down! We've got a perimeter breach!"

The security monitors squelch with static and interference. Sitwell holds his PDA – even it's on the fritz. Sitwell and the Techie watch the monitors warily. On the monitor showing the hammer containment area, Mjolnir starts to crackle with energy.

"Get Coulson." Sitwell punches an alarm.

As Thor makes his way towards the crater, an alarm sounds and security lights explode to life.

* * *

A spotlight fires out from the base and sweeps across then ridge towards Jane. She ducks down, out of sight. She pulls out her cellphone and dials. Selvig's recorded message comes on.

"You've reached Dr. Erik Selvig. Please leave me a message." His voicemail beeps and Jane talks quietly, urgently.

"Hi, Erik, it's me. First of all, don't worry. I'm perfectly fine, really."

More sounds of mayhem come from the base.

"But if you don't hear from me in the next hour, you might want to come out to the crater site and look for me. I did exactly what you told me not to do. I'm sorry. So sorry. Thanks. Bye."

She hangs up.

* * *

Coulson emerges from the SHIELD command trailer and marches across the mud, radio to his ear. He looks out across the lit up site uneasily.

A SHIELD guard moves through the base, rifle in hand. From the shadows behind a trailer, a figure looks out at him. As the Guard raises his radio to check in, Thor quickly rushes towards him and chokes him out. He falls to the ground. Thor notices the AR-15 rifle lying on the ground beside the fallen Guard. He stares down at the weapon quizzically. As more guards approach, Thor snatches up the weapon and takes cover in the shadows of the trailer. The Guards pass by.

Thor peers around the corner, sees the well-guarded main entrance tube to the center of the site. A bright light suddenly illuminates his face. He looks to see an ATV moving across the site, shining its spotlight right on him. Thor sees that the ATV driver has spotted him. The Driver raises his radio to report. Thor knows he has to act fact. He raises the rifle – then flips it over in the air and catches it by the barrel. He rears the weapon back, then hurls it like a hammer. It flies through the air, smashing the ATV's spotlight. Glass and debris shower the driver, who takes his hands off the wheel to protect himself. The ATV roars out of control past the Guards near the tube entrance. The Guards notice and chase after it. Thor emerges from the shadows, watches the Guards abandoning the site entrance.

The ATV Driver looks forward in panic as the ATV approaches the crater lip. The vehicle careens over the edge of the crater and heads straight for one of the plastic tunnels. The Technicians inside scatter as the ATV crashes into it, tearing into the tunnel, sending sparks everywhere. The ATV finally comes to a stop, the tunnel collapsing around it and the Driver. SHIELD Agents rush in behind to help.

Jane peers over the ridge, stares down at the frenzied aftermath of the ATV crash, at the base on high alert. Lightning cracks in the sky behind her.

Coulson climbs to the lip of the crater as a light rain begins to fall. He eyes the damage of the ATV crash. He's not pleased. The light rain becomes a downpour.

As SHIELD Agents pull the ATV driver from the wreckage, Thor races towards the unguarded entrance to the tunnels and heads inside. Thor races up the entrance ramp. Before him, two guards round the corner. Thor knocks out the first guard, then tackles the second. He hurries around the corner, when more guards come up a ladder ahead. Thor punches the closest guard, sending him tumbling backwards, toppling the others on the ladder behind him. Thor takes off running, as the guards regroup and give chase. Thor spots the glow of Mjolnir in the central cube, through the translucent walls of the tunnels. He hurries through the tunnels to find a way towards it.

Coulson stands on the crater lip, barking out orders, as the Guards in the tunnel rush to cut off Thor. Coulson activates his radio. "I need eyes up high. With a gun. Now!"

* * *

A sniper, dressed in black tactical gear reaches for a rifle but pauses, instead he picks up a bow, slings it over his shoulder and heads out of the back of the truck. Lightning crackles around the camp as the sniper approaches a crane bucket. He tosses the bow inside, leaps in, and the bucket lifts into the air.

* * *

Through the translucent plastic, we see Thor racing through the tubing. As Thor races through the tunnel, a guard runs right at him, on a collision course. Thor takes him out with a punch to the gut, then turns to see more Agents coming towards him. Thor picks up the fallen guard he punched, then throws him into the approaching Agents, scattering them. Thor turns around, runs back the way he came. The Agents give chase.

Jane looks down at the crater through binoculars, frustrated that she can't clearly see what's happening.

Coulson watches the commotion in the tunnel complex. He heads off for the command trailer to enter the tunnels.

The crane basket ascends into the high winds as the sniper nocks an arrow into his bow.

We see the figure of Thor inside the complex, heading down a ladder from a junction box, with other figures converging on him.

* * *

Coulson enters the command trailer. "What have we got?"

"There's a massive electromagnetic surge coming off that thing. Systems are barely coping."

Coulson looks up at the crane, he calls on his radio. "Barton. Talk to me."

The crane holding Barton arcs out over the structure. Barton takes aim. "You want me to slow him down, Sir? One shot, one kill, Sir. Just give the word. Or are you sending in more guys for him to beat up?"

"I'll let you know."

With Barton's perfect vision overlooking the complex, he locks in on Thor, who's inside the plastic tubing, emerging from the junction box and heading towards the cube structure.

"Hello, handsome."

* * *

Thor races through the tunnel, comes across a wall of Agents. Thor roars and barrels through them – elbowing, punching – whatever it takes to keep moving. As he takes down the last Agent, Thor sees the last junction box and the entrance to the cube structure up ahead. He races towards it. He can actually see Mjolnir within the middle of the structure, when – BAM!

From out of nowhere, a fist lands a powerful blow across his jaw, sending him reeling. Dazed, Thor looks up to see – a huge SHIELD Agent. The biggest of them all, standing between him and his hammer in the cube structure beyond.

Thor sizes him up. "You're big." Thor grins. "Fought bigger."

Thor and the Huge Agent explode through the wall of the junction box, then crash into the mud, sending them sliding.

* * *

Barton has Thor in his sites. The sniper stands still as a statue.

Coulson hurries through the tunnel, ready to give the word to Barton, when he stops short. He sees what looks like an electrical storm erupting inside the structure ahead, directly above the crater... and the hammer.

* * *

Jane sees SHIELD Agents and Guards swarming into the cube containment structure. "No..."

Thor and the Huge Agent struggle to stand in the mud. Through the translucent walls of the cube structure, Thor sees Mjolnir. The Huge Agent rises up before him, blocking his view. Rain and blood run down Thor's face. He lunges forward, whipping his feet in front of him, then kicks out, nailing the Huge Agent in the chest. The Agent goes down hard as Thor's momentum carries him past. Thor stands, heads for the cube structure, when the huge guard grabs his ankle in a last effort. Thor looks back down at his foe, then drops backwards, pile driving his elbow into the fallen Agent's chest. The huge Agent grimaces in pain, defeated. Thor races back towards the structure.

* * *

"Better call it, Coulson, cause I'm starting to root for this guy." Barton says, a small smile crosses his face.

* * *

From outside, Thor rips an opening in the plastic wall of the structure. He stands there - soaking, bleeding, caked with wet earth. His hammer rests just a few yards before him, energy surging around it. Coulson steps into the structure through an access tunnel, one story up. As Thor approaches his hammer, Mjolnir starts to glow brighter, blue electricity sparking off its surface. The crackling energy seems to reach out to him.

* * *

Coulson notices, his interest piqued. Above the open ceiling of the structure, Barton's crane bucket comes into view.

Wind and rain whip around Barton as he stares down his bow site, locked on the back of Thor's head – his fingers ready to release the arrow. "Last chance Sir."

Thor stands next to the hammer, feeling its power. He reaches out to it confidently. Coulson watches from above. Armed Agents approach behind him. He motions for them to hold their positions, then radios Barton.

"Barton..."

Barton stands ready to take Thor down.

"...hold your fire."

Barton doesn't release his draw but holds.

Coulson watches Thor with anticipation as Thor wraps his hand around the hammer. He smiles, triumphant, lifts... but the hammer doesn't move. Thor looks confused, tries again with two hands, to no avail – anger and frustration overtaking him. He strains with all his might, screams from the effort, bellowing up at the storm and lightning above him. Something begins to appear on the side of Mjolnir – glowing runes. Thor looks down, sees them. But, still, the hammer doesn't budge. Thor falls to his knees before it, rain pouring down around him, as the glowing runes fade away. He's failed. Unworthy.

Coulson looks on, disappointed. SHIELD Agents move in, guns trained on Thor, surrounding him. Coulson activates his radio. "Ground units, move in. Show's over."

Barton lowers his bow. As the Agents surround him, Thor doesn't seem to notice or care. He just sits there on his knees, head bowed in the rain – a man broken, lost.

* * *

Jane lowers her binoculars, sensing things have gone from bad to worse. She steels herself, then starts over the ridge to help him. Almost immediately, a spotlight sweeps past her. She hears the sound of dogs and SHIELD Agents approaching, sees the glow of flashlights moving from the base towards her. With no other choice, she makes a quick retreat.

* * *

Heimdall stands at his post, watching the scene. He lowers his head.

* * *

An hour later, Jane stands with Selvig and Darcy in the empty lab. Darcy picks up the book Selvig checked out of the library, looks through it.

"He's in jail."

"I can't just leave him there!"

"Why?"

"You didn't see what I saw!"

Darcy points at an illustration of Thor's hammer in the book. "Look! Look, it's Myeu-muh!"

Jane looks at the illustration in the book, turns to Selvig knowingly. "Where did you find this?"

Selvig grabs the book from them, quickly closes it. "In the children's section. I wanted to show you how ridiculous his story was."

Jane is unconvinced by this. She knows he wants to believe. "Aren't you the one who's always told me to chase down all leads, all possibilities?"

"I was talking about science, not magic!"

"Magic's just science we don't understand yet. Arthur C. Clarke."

"Who wrote science fiction."

"The precursor to science fact!"

"In some cases."

"If that's really an Einstein-Rosen Bridge out there, then there's something on the other side. Advanced beings could have come through it before."

"Jane..."

"A primitive culture like the Vikings might have worshipped them as deities."

The two give Darcy a look, surprised by her unexpectedly insightful input. Darcy shrugs.

Jane points at her, grateful for the support. "Yes! Exactly! Thank you!"

Darcy beams.

"Jane, if you do this, you'll find yourself in a situation that I won't be able to get you out of this time."

"I'll help you."

Jane looks to Darcy, grateful. Selvig looks at her, sees there's no stopping her. He sighs.


	10. Interrogations & Drinking Songs

**I do not own Marvel, Thor or any of its characters. I only own my original character Arabella and anything else that seems out of place.**

**Thank you to everyone who has chosen to favorite, follow and review this story.**

* * *

Inside a holding cell, Thor sits in a chair, staring forward blankly, hands cuffed behind him. Coulson stands across from him.

"It's not easy to do what you did. You made us all look like a bunch of minimum-wage mall cops. That's hurtful. The men you so easily subdued are highly-trained professionals, and in my experience, it takes someone who's received similar training to do what you did to them. Would you like to tell me where you received your training?"

Thor sits silently.

"Pakistan? Chechnya? Afghanistan? No, you strike me more as the soldier of fortune type. Where was it? South Africa?"

Still no answer. Coulson leans in close to him. "Certain groups pay very well for a good mercenary like you. Especially HYDRA." Coulson waits for a response, but gets none. "Who are you?"

"Just a man."

"One way or another, we find out what we want to know. We're good at that."

Coulson gets page, "Don't go anywhere." He leaves the room and Thor lowers his head, ashamed at himself.

* * *

"I thought he'd never leave."

Thor looks up, shocked to find Loki standing there, dressed in 21st century attire.

"Loki? What are you doing here?"

"I had to see you."

"What's happened? Tell me! Is it Jotunheim? Let me explain to father—"

"Father is dead."

Thor stares at him, stunned. "What?"

"Your banishment, the threat of a new war, it was too much for him to bear."

The implications of Loki's words dawn on Thor – he's responsible for his father's fate. Loki draws close to him, looks in his eyes, consolingly.

"You mustn't blame yourself. I know that you loved him. I tried to tell him so, but he wouldn't listen. It was so cruel to put the hammer within your reach, knowing that you could never lift it."

Thor stares ahead, falling deeper into the abyss.

"The burden of the throne has fallen to me now."

Thor looks up at his brother, his lips trembling as a tear treks down his cheek from the corner of his right eye. "Can I come home?"

"The truce with Jotunheim is conditional upon your exile."

"Yes, but couldn't we find a way—"

"And Mother has forbidden your return."

Thor nods, lowers his head, beaten.

"This is goodbye, brother. I'm so sorry."

"No. I am sorry. Loki... thank you for coming here."

"Nothing could have stopped me."

Coulson enters the room, but seems to take no notice of Loki.

"Farewell, brother."

"Good-bye."

"Good-bye? I just got back." Coulson says furrowing his brows.

Thor looks up to see that Loki is gone.

"Now. Where did we leave off?"

* * *

Agents and Scientists work to repair the damaged area around Mjolnir. They take no notice of Loki as he steps up beside the hammer. He stares at it – intrigued, wondering. Can he do it? He reaches down, tries to lift it – but can't. He lets it go, eyes it with contempt, then steps away. He gestures with his arms. An odd green and gold light rises from the ground, enveloping him, then he disappears.

Sitwell enters and speaks sotto to Coulson. "Sir... He's got a visitor."

* * *

Outside the Security Room, Coulson and several other SHIELD Agents stand across from Erik Selvig.

Coulson eyes the Doctor, "His name is Donald Blake?"

"Doctor Donald Blake. He's part of our team."

"You have dangerous coworkers, Dr. Selvig."

"Troubled, not dangerous. He was distraught when he found out that you'd taken all of our research. It was years of his life, gone! He got depressed, started drinking, and... well, you know the rest."

"Uh-huh. You mind if we take a moment to verify his identity?"

"Certainly."

The Techie at a computer nearby runs the name.

"You can understand how a man could go off like that. I mean, a big, faceless organization like yours, coming in with their jack-booted thugs and stealing private property..." At Coulson's glance Selvig stutters, "...that's how he put it."

"That doesn't explain how he managed to tear through our security."

Selvig shrugs. "Steroids! He's a bit of a fitness nut."

On the Techie's monitor, a DMV record from the State of New York pops up reading "DR. DONALD BLAKE." The license photo is indeed a picture of Thor – the one Darcy took with her cellphone.

The Techie hits a button, and a graphic reads, "SHIELD SECURITY ANALYSIS IN PROGRESS." Coulson eyes the screen. After a beat, he turns back to Selvig.

"It says here that he's an M.D."

"Well, he is! Or he was. He switched careers and became a physicist. He's quite brilliant, really. He's a wonderful man. He's a man in pain. If you would just release him to me, I promise to keep an eye on him."

Coulson thinks, sizing Selvig up – then smiles. He turns to an Agent nearby.

"Release Dr. Blake to Dr. Selvig here."

The Techie looks to him, surprised.

"Make sure he stays in town for the next few days in case we need to talk to him again."

Selvig shakes his hand. "Thank you."

* * *

Selvig bursts into the room with a SHIELD Agent to find a seated Thor.

"Donny, Donny, Donny! There you are!"

Thor looks up, unsure what the hell is going on. Selvig pulls Thor to his feet, gives him a warm hug.

"You're gonna be all right, my friend. Come on, I'm taking you home now."

He leads the bewildered Thor out the door.

As Thor and Selvig make their way past the SHIELD Security Room, Thor notices Jane's possessions and equipment from the Smith Motors lab stacked under a tarp. He spots Jane's hand-written journal among them. As he passes, he quickly takes it from the pile and pockets it.

Coulson looks at the computer bearing Donald Blake's DMV record. A security warning over the image clearly reads "SECURITY ALERT: FALSIFIED DATA." He knows it's been a ruse all along. He looks to Selvig and Thor heading away from the Security Room, then follows them outside.

Coulson and two SHIELD Agents watch as Selvig walks with Thor away from the base to the SUV. Coulson calls to Selvig. "Just keep him away from the bars."

"I will!"

"Where are we going?"

Selvig drops his cool demeanor. "To get a drink." Selvig and Thor climb into the SUV.

* * *

As they drive off, Coulson turns to the other two agents – Garrett and Cale.

"Follow them."

* * *

Thor and Selvig sit at a booth at the back of the local dive. The bartender sets down a couple mugs of beer in front of them.

"Seems Darcy's a terrible intern, but a talented hacker."

"You know, I had it all backwards. I had it all wrong."

Selvig watches him keenly. This is a different Thor than he's seen before.

"It's not a bad thing, finding out that you don't have all the answers. That's when you start asking the right questions."

Thor takes this in. "For the first time in my life, I have no idea what I'm supposed to do."

"Anyone who's ever going to find his way in this world has to start by admitting he doesn't know where the hell he is."

Thor nods. "Thank you for what you've done."

"No, don't thank me. I only did it for Jane."

"Are you in love with her?"

"Of course not! Jane's like a daughter to me. Her father and I taught at University together. A good man, but he never listened."

This registers with Thor. "Neither did I. My Father was trying to teach me something but I was too stupid to see it."

Selvig eyes him with interest. "I don't know if you're really delusional, or if you're pulling some kind of con, and I really don't care at this point. I just care about her. I've seen the way she looks at you."

"I swear to you, I mean her no harm."

"Good. In that case, I'll buy you another round, and you leave town tonight."

A long pause, then Thor nods.

Selvig turns to the bartender, "Two boilermakers."

The bartender sits down to pints of beer, along with two shots in front of the men. Selvig picks up the shots and pours them into the glasses of beer. The two then pick up their glasses and after clicking glasses in a small toast, they begin to drink. They eye one another and it sparks a silent competition of who can down their drink the fastest without stopping.

"Hey, I know you, man..." An intimidating drunk townie nearby sizes up Thor. He is one of the Townies from Isabela's Diner who saw Thor earlier. He approaches, belligerent and looking for a fight.

"You were in the diner with that hot girl."

Thor doesn't like where this is going.

"I wouldn't mind her doing a little research on me." He laughs.

Thor is annoyed. "I have no quarrel with you. But she's a lady. You should be more respectful."

"And you should shut the hell up, princess."

Selvig looks to Thor, concerned that he's going to lose it. But, to his surprise, Thor remains unaffected by the Townie's baiting. "I will not fight him."

"Then it'll be easy to kick your ass."

Selvig stands, steps between the two men. "Gentlemen, please. Let's keep our heads."

Just then, Selvig head-butts the Townie, knocking him out. Thor's impressed. Selvig downs his drink, then hurls his glass aside, shattering it on the ground. "Another!"

"Another!"

"Another!"

"Another!"

"Another!"

Thor and Selvig stumble down the street, singing a Norwegian Folk Song. They improvise an impromptu drinking song dance routine involving side steps and happy slaps, optimistically in time with the song.

"Their mood is good, their hearts are full, there's magic in the air. It's all because we're here tonight, and now we're going again. So raise your glass, and toast to life, wherever it may lead / Tra-la-la, tra-la-la, a friend is fine indeed. Tra-la-la, tra-la-la, a friend is fine indeed!"

Thor holds up a hand for Selvig's last finishing slap. Selvig misses it completely and falls to the ground like a straight dead weight with a clunk. Emerging from behind the car where Selvig fell, Thor stands up, Selvig slung over his shoulder, and starts to walk up the street towards Jane's trailer.


	11. Father & Son

**I do not own Marvel, Thor or any of its characters. I only own my original character Arabella and anything else that seems out of place.**

**Thank you to everyone who has chosen to favorite, follow and review this story.**

* * *

The Bifrost strikes down on the desolate realm of Jotunheim. Loki, looking apprehensive, walks alone across the icy surface of the planet.

Darkness shrouds the ruined temple, save for the shafts of light which knife their way in through the damaged ceiling. Loki enters. Frost Giant guards surround him on all sides.

Laufey sits at his throne, "Kill him."

Loki is not afraid but seemingly pleased with himself, "After all I've done for you? I've come alone and unarmed."

"To what end?"

"To make you another proposition."

Laufey has a realization, "So you're the one who showed us the way into Asgard."

"You're welcome. That was just a bit of fun, really. To ruin my brother's big day. And to protect the realm from his idiotic rule for a while longer."

"My men are dead, and I have no Casket. You are a deceiver."

Laufey lashes out, grabs Loki around the throat, but Loki calmly stands his ground.

"You have no idea what I am."

The blueness spreads across his face, as Laufey and the guards stare in shock.

Loki grins, "Hello, Father."

Laufey releases him. Loki's body turns back to normal. Intrigued, Laufey sizes up his son.

"Ah, the bastard son. I thought Odin had killed you. That's what I would have done. He's as weak as you are."

"No longer weak. I now rule Asgard, until Odin awakens. Perhaps you should not have so carelessly abandoned me."

This gives Laufey pause. "Or perhaps it was the wisest choice I've ever made. I will hear you."

"I will conceal you and a handful of your soldiers, lead you into Odin's chambers, and you can slay him where he lies. I'll keep the throne, and you will have the Casket."

Laufey studies Loki's face. "Why not kill him yourself?"

Loki smirks giving a chuckle, "I suspect that the Asgardians would not take kindly to a King who had murdered his predecessor. Once Odin is dead, I will return the Casket to you and you can return Jotunheim to all its huh…" Loki looks around the dilapidated Palace. "Glory."

"Why would you do this?"

"When all is done, we will have a permanent peace between our two worlds. Then I, the bastard son, will have accomplished what Odin and Thor never could."

"This is a great day for Jotunheim. Asgard is finally ours."

"No. Asgard is mine. The rest of the Nine Realms will be yours, if you do as you're told."

Laufey considers the proposition. "I… Accept."

The God turns to leave, and as he goes, the slightest trace of a smile crosses his face.

* * *

Loki emerges out of the Bifrost, as Heimdall stands at the controls glaring at the King.

Loki notices. "What troubles you, Gatekeeper?"

"I turned my gaze upon you in Jotunheim, but could neither see nor hear you. You were shrouded from me, like the Frost Giants that entered this Realm."

"Perhaps your senses have weakened after your many years of service."

"Or perhaps someone has found a way to hide that which he does not wish me to see."

Loki sizes him up, smiles. "You have great power, Heimdall. Tell me, did Odin ever fear you?"

"No."

"And why is that?"

"Because he is my King, and I am sworn to obey him."

"Exactly. He was your King and you're sworn to obey me now. Yes?"

A beat. "Yes."

"Good. Then you will open the Bifrost to no one until I have repaired the damage that my brother has done."

Loki heads out of the Observatory. Heimdall stares after him.

* * *

The small trailer is in a state of perpetual disarray, strewn with various books, old pizza boxes, etc. A worried Jane lies on her bed, trying to read. She's startled by the loud rapping on the door. She bolts to the door and opens it to find – Thor. Standing there with the unconscious Selvig slung over his shoulder.

"Erik! Oh my God, is he all right?"

"He's fine. Not injured at all."

As Thor enters, he bangs Selvig's head on the doorway. Selvig groans and Thor laughs, "I'm sorry, my friend."

"What happened?"

"We drank. We fought. He made his ancestors proud."

"Put him on the bed."

Thor moves through the small trailer carrying Selvig, like a bear lugging another bear, smashing into things along the way, until he finally sets Selvig down on Jane's bed. Selvig awakens groggily and looks up at him through bleary eyes.

"I still don't believe you're the God of Thunder. But you ought to be."

Thor grins, as Selvig pats him on the cheek. As Selvig drifts off to sleep, Thor pulls a blanket over him. Jane watches, stunned by their friendship, impressed by Thor's tenderness. Thor turns back to her, looks around.

"Are these your chambers?"

Jane suddenly becomes self-conscious. She starts cleaning up the mess around her. "Well, it's more of a temporary living space, really. I don't usually have visitors in here. Actually, never..."

Thor picks up a sock off the floor. She snatches it from him, puts it away. "Can we go outside?"

"Yes, of course."

Thor steps off a ladder onto the roof of Smith Motors. He offers Jane his hand and helps her up. There's a telescope set up, a couple chairs, a fire pit and some blankets. Jane starts a fire to help keep them warm.

"I come up here sometimes when I can't sleep. Or when I'm trying to reconcile particle data. Or when Darcy's driving me crazy. I come up here a lot, actually, now that I think about it."

Thor looks at the night sky, filled with stars.

"I'm really glad you're safe."

"You've been very kind to me, and I've been far less grateful than you deserve."

"I also hit you with my car a couple times, so I think that kind of evens things out."

"Perhaps I had it coming." He grins, then reaches into his pocket and pulls out her notebook.

"Oh, my God! I don't believe it!" She takes it from him, surprised and grateful.

"It was all I could get back. I'm sorry it's not as much as I promised."

"No, no, this is great! Thank you. This means I don't have to start from scratch now." She sits down and opens the notebook eagerly, then stops, a harsh realization clouding her face.

Thor notices. "What's wrong?"

"SHIELD. Whatever they are, they're gonna do everything in their power to make sure this research never sees the light of day."

"No, Jane. Listen to me. You must not give up. You must do this. You must finish what you've started."

"Why?"

"Because you're right. It's taken so many generations for your people to get to this point. You're nearly there. You just need someone to show you how close you really are."

Thor moves beside her, opens her notebook, turns to the page which bears a sketch of the Bifrost. He takes the pen from the notebook, begins to add to the sketch, leading from one point to another in space.

"Look – your ancestors called it magic. You call it science. I come from a place where they're one and the same thing."

Jane looks on, amazed and intrigued. "What is that?"

"This is how my father explained it to me... Your world is one of the Nine Realms of the Cosmos, linked to each other by the branches of Yggdrasil, the Worlds Tree. Now, you see it every day, without realizing. Images glimpsed through – what did you call it?... (checks her notebook) ...this Hooble Telescope."

"Hubble." Jane says with a laugh.

"Hubble Telescope."

They both share a laugh, before Jane smiles, "Tell me more."

"So, the Nine Realms... Now, there is Midgard, which is Earth. This is Alfheim. Vanaheim. Jotunheim. And Asgard. And that's where I come from."

They look at each other. She nods. They smile. This is going to be a long night.

Jane sleeps beside Thor on the blankets on the rooftop. He stares up at the night sky. She rolls close to him, nuzzles against him in her sleep. He looks down at her, beautiful in the moonlight, and looks out at the town beyond him.

"Thank you Jane."


	12. Betrayal

**I do not own Marvel, Thor or any of its characters. I only own my original character Arabella and anything else that seems out of place.**

**Thank you to everyone who has chosen to favorite, follow and review this story.**

* * *

Inside their warrior's room, Volstagg eats ravenously from a platter of food. Sif stands nearby, ill at ease. Fandral watches Volstagg incredulously as the large warrior stuffs himself.

Finally Fandral can stand it no more. "Our dearest friend banished, Loki on the throne, Asgard on the brink of war, yet you've manage to consume four wild boar, six pheasant, a side of beef, and two casks of ale. Shame on you! Don't you care?!"

Fandral knocks the platter from Volstagg's hands, causing the larger man to jump up from his seat.

"Do not mistake my appetite for apathy!"

Sif yells at them, "Stop it, both of you! We all know what we have to do, we're just too damned afraid to do it!"

Hogun makes a decision, "We must go. We must find Thor." Hogun starts to pull the delicate healing stones from the fire, carefully putting them into a pouch at his side.

Fandral turns back to them, "It's treason, Hogun."

Volstagg eyes them all, "To hell with treason, it's suicide."

"Thor would do the same for us." Sif reminds them.

"Now, shush. Heimdall might be watching. It's said he can hear—"

Fandral rolls his eyes, "Yes, yes, we know!"

An Einherjar Guard enters. They tense. "Heimdall demands your presence."

Volstagg quickly drains his flagon of ale. "We're doomed."

* * *

Sif and the Warriors Three enter warily to find the intimidating Heimdall and worse, Arabella, standing before the Observatory's controls. The two glare at them accusingly.

Volstagg steps forward, "Good Heimdall, less us explain—"

"You would defy the commands of Loki, our King, break every oath you have taken as warriors, and commit treason to bring Thor back?"

The four exchange nervous glances.

"Yes, but—"

"Good."

The group looks puzzled. What did he just say?

Sif follows him as he steps down from the controls. "So you'll help us?"

"I am bound by honor to our King. I cannot open the bridge to you."

With that, Heimdall leaves them alone in the Observatory. The others exchange puzzled looks.

Fandral watches him leave, he turns to Hogun. "Complicated fellow, isn't he?"

Volstagg shrugs, "Now what do we do?"

Sif glances at Arabella who wears a small smile, the Angel approaches the control panel, and the maiden notices something.

"Look!"

The others turn to see Arabella standing next to Heimdall's sword stuck into the control panel. They exchange a grin. They have an ally. Arabella hits the controls, and the Bifrost apparatus fires up.

* * *

Up in the Palace on a balcony Loki stands with Gungnir, surveying his kingdom. He sees the Bifrost fire off into space. He turns angrily, Heimdall has betrayed him. An Einherjar Guard quickly approaches him, out of breath.

"My liege, the Warriors Three, Lady Sif and Lady Arabella have gone missing."

Loki reacts, how could Bella betray him like this.

* * *

Amidst the fury of the Bifrost storm, Arabella, the Warriors Three and Sif drop to the ground in the New Mexico desert. They clamber to their feet as the Bifrost quickly recedes, the hole in the sky closing up behind it. The Bifrost runes cover the desert sand around them.

Volstagg surveys the ground around them. "He must have landed nearby. It's time to put our tracking skills to work. Spread out. Check the sand for indentations of his boot prints."

Fandral joins him, "The winds would have blown them away by now. We should look for signs of a campfire."

"Or we could just start there."

The two look up at Sif's words, she points behind them to the town of Puente Antiguo in the distance – the only visible sign of civilization – and to Arabella and Hogun, who have already started walking towards it. Volstagg and Fandral trade looks, their egos bruised.

Fandral clears his throat, trying to cover his embarrassment. "It's worth a look, I suppose."

The party tromps towards the town.

* * *

Coulson races in as a SHIELD Techie calls up satellite footage of the Bifrost storm on a monitor. "What the hell was that?"

"I don't know, Sir. We got massive energy readings out of nowhere, then they just disappeared. Fifteen miles due northwest."

"Let's go take a look."

* * *

Dawn breaks over the quiet town of Puente Antiguo. Thor awakens, looks down to see Jane still sleeping, nuzzled against him. She opens her eyes, looks up at him and smiles. He stands, offers his hand, helps her to her feet. Thor helps Jane down off a ladder. A groggy, hung-over Selvig emerges from Jane's trailer. He sees Thor with Jane. Selvig eyes the two of them together, then:

"I need some coffee."

The three head inside Smith Motors.

* * *

From the Library rooftop across the street, SHIELD Agents Garrett and Cale watch the scene, pointing a small audio surveillance device towards the lab.

* * *

Darcy and Selvig sit at a card table, drinking coffee. Thor holds a couple plates as Jane makes eggs on a hotplate. She scoops them out onto the plates. Thor takes them over to the table, and sets them down before Selvig and Darcy.

"Thank you." Darcy gives Thor a big smile.

"Thank you." Selvig says.

"You're very welcome."

Jane joins them at the card table with a couple more plates. She and Thor sit with the others and start to eat their breakfast, looking like a little family.

* * *

On the rooftop, Agents Garrett and Cale continue their surveillance, bored out of their wits. Agent Cale watches the group through the lab window with binoculars. Agent Garrett listens to his comm-link, turns to Cale.

"They want an update."

"Tell them he's eating eggs."

"Scrambled or fried?"

Cale glares at him. "Target is eating eggs, sir. We'll keep you posted."

A voice comes over their radios, "Base to Team 2, we've got activity outside the town. Stay on your target."

* * *

Back inside of the crypt, Loki jams Gungnir down onto the ground before the intricate latticework behind the Casket. It opens to reveal the Destroyer, a fiery glow rising within it.

"Ensure my brother does not return. Destroy everything."

* * *

As the group finishes breakfast, Thor looks at the mug in his hand, gets an idea. "May I have this?"

Darcy looks puzzled, "Sure."

"Thank you. Excuse me a moment." Thor leaves.

* * *

In front of her diner, Isabela prepares to open for the day. Through the window of the diner you can see chairs still atop tables. Isabela sweeps the front porch. She looks up to see Thor approaching. She eyes him suspiciously. He offers her a mug.

"To replace the one I broke. Please forgive my behavior."

She takes it, looks at it curiously, then smiles at him. "Okay. Thank you."

"If I may, I'd like to come back for more of your "coffee."

"Any time."

He nods and walks away. She stares after him, smiling, and shrugs.

"She could do worse."

* * *

Townsfolk stare in wonder at the Warriors Three, Sif and Arabella, as they stroll down the street in all their Asgardian splendor, not to mention the 6 foot tall wings folded at Arabella's back.

A boy hits a baseball, which rolls under a parked car. He runs to retrieve it, but can't reach it. Suddenly, the side of the car rises into the air. The boy looks over, his mouth dropping open at what he sees. Volstagg easily holds the car up with one hand. Volstagg picks up the boy's ball, then drops the car. He hands the ball back to the boy, tousling his hair.

"There you go, lad!"

The boy just stares, standing frozen. The Asgardians head off.

Volstagg looks around, "Is it just me, or does Earth look a little different to you?"

Sif does the same, "It has been a thousand years..."

"Things change so fast here. You leave for a millennium, and it's like the whole neighborhood's gone." Volstagg sniffs, smells something. "Perhaps we should split up."

* * *

Agents Cale and Garrett spot Arabella, Sif, Fandral, and Hogun walking down the street.

Agent Garrett furrows his brows, "Is there a Renaissance Faire in town?"

"Call it in."

"Yeah. Base, we've got Xena, Jackie Chan, Robin Hood and a woman with giant wings. Yes I said wings. Big black wings."

Volstagg rises up behind them and smashes their heads together. They're out.

"Never cared for spies." He starts to go, then sees their bag of fast food on the ground. Intrigued, he pulls out a cheeseburger and takes a bite. He likes what he tastes. "Exquisite."

* * *

Selvig takes a drink of his coffee, "It's a beautiful theory, Jane. But you won't be able to convince the scientific community of any of it. Not without hard evidence.

A sudden knock on the doors causes them to turn. "Found you!"

Thor, Jane, Selvig, and Darcy turn to see – two women, one in armor and one with giant wings, and three men in armor beside them. Staring baffled with slight smiles, at the sight of the domestic Thor drying dishes in mortal clothing.

Jane is so shocked that she drops the coffee mug in her hand, it shatters on the floor.

"My friends!" Thor happily races over and greets his comrades. "This is good. This is good."

Jane, Selvig, and Darcy watch the Asgardians from across the room. Jane looks concerned. Selvig and Darcy eye them with wonder.

Selvig is in awe, "I don't believe it..."

Darcy looks at Thor, "Who are they?"

Volstagg steps forward, "Excuse me. Lady Sif and the Warriors Three. Surely you've heard tales of Hogun the Grim, Fandral the Dashing, and I, Volstagg the Svelte?"

Selvig looks pointedly at Volstagg's massive gut.

"Well, perhaps I've put on a little more muscle since I was here last."

Jane is baffled, "That would have been a thousand years ago? Northern Europe?"

"Exactly! Those lovely herring people. They worshipped us!"

Thor grins, lays a hand on Volstagg's shoulder before approaching the winged woman. "Bella." He hugs her close, "I'm am so glad to see not all of my family has turned their backs on me."

Arabella is confused by his statement but she hugs him back nonetheless. "I have missed you Thor."

The man turns to his new companions, "Jane, Erik and Darcy, may I present my sister Arabella, the Fallen Angel."

The woman nods at the three mortals stand staring at the new arrivals. Thor eyes all his friends. "My friends, I've never been happier to see anyone. But you should not have come."

Fandral smiles at his friend, "We're here to take you home."

Jane reacts to the news of Thor leaving.

"You know I can't go home. My father, is dead because of me. I must remain in exile."

The other Asgardians exchange puzzled looks as Arabella steps forward. "Thor... Father still lives."

Thor reacts to the revelation his face grows dark, it only takes a moment for Arabella to understand why his face registers such anger.

* * *

Loki approaches Heimdall on the Rainbow Bridge standing just out front of the Observatory.

"Tell me, Loki, how did you get the Jotuns into Asgard?"

"You think the Bifrost is the only way in and out of the Realm? There are secret paths between worlds to which even you, with all your gifts, are blind. But I have need of them no longer, now that I am King. And I say, for your act of treason, you are relieved of your duties as Gatekeeper, and no longer a citizen of Asgard."

"Then I need no longer obey you."

Heimdall raises his massive sword, strides towards Loki. Loki reaches out and, with both hands, takes hold of something invisible, hovering in mid-air before him. As it quickly fades into view, we realize what it is – The Casket Of Ancient Winter. The blueness creeps from his hands and up his arms, as Loki opens the Casket towards Heimdall, who is fast approaching. From inside the Casket, all hell breaks loose. The fury of the Casket is unleashed, its winds not just howling, but screaming, as ice, snow and darkness come flying straight towards Heimdall. Ice clings to his body, freezing him, but still he moves forward. Loki starts to get worried. Heimdall is nearly upon him. The Gatekeeper swings his massive sword at the Prince. But the blade stops, frozen, just inches from Loki's throat. Loki breathes a sigh of relief and vanishes the Casket.

* * *

A few SHIELD vehicles are parked by the Bifrost site. A few SHIELD Agents stand nearby as scientists take readings. Coulson kneels, examines the Bifrost Runes. He turns to an Agent.

"Get somebody from Linguistics down here."

Just then, they hear a rumbling overhead, as the Bifrost storm roars in the sky above. Coulson and the SHIELD Agents scramble for cover, their vehicle windshields shattering, as the Bifrost storm grows in strength. Finally, the hole in the sky overhead opens, and the funnel cloud explodes out of it, touching down onto the desert floor. Coulson and the Agents shelter their eyes from the maelstrom.

* * *

Thor and the others see the Bifrost storm forming in the distance.

Darcy looks at Thor, "Was somebody else coming?"

Just then, the Bifrost funnel explodes down to the ground.


	13. The Destroyer

**I do not own Marvel, Thor or any of its characters. I only own my original character Arabella and anything else that seems out of place.**

**Thank you to everyone who has chosen to favorite, follow and review this story.**

* * *

From behind a car, Coulson and the SHIELD Agents stare at the Destroyer in awe.

"Is that one of Stark's?"

Coulson sighs, "I don't know. The guy never tells me anything." Coulson grabs a megaphone, steps forward and calls out to the Destroyer. "Hello! You are using unregistered weapons technology. Please identify yourself."

We hear the hum of the Destroyer's fiery energy power up inside.

"Here we go."

The orange glow gets even brighter as the face plate opens up. "Incoming!"

As the SHIELD Agents scramble for cover, a blast of energy from the Destroyer explodes a vehicle. SHIELD agents return fire.

* * *

Townspeople fill the streets, staring at the fire fight in the distance. Thor and the Asgardians prepare for battle, as Thor turns to Jane.

"Jane, you have to leave this town now. Get yourself and your friends to safety."

"What are you gonna do?"

"I'm staying here. I must stay and fight."

The Asgardians look to Thor.

"I'm still a warrior, and I will fight by your side."

Volstagg is excited but wary at the same time. "You're but a mortal now. You'll get yourself killed!"

Fandral steps up, "Or one of us, trying to protect you."

Arabella tries to reason with him, without angering him of course. "The best thing you can do is get the mortals to safety and leave the battle to us."

Thor looks at the townsfolk around them, all oblivious to the oncoming threat. "You're right."

Arabella looks surprised that he took her advice so easily.

Jane steps up, "If you're staying, then so am I."

Thor turns to Jane, Selvig, and Darcy. "Help me clear the streets. I'll let none of these people die this day. We'll need some time."

"You'll have it!" Arabella tells him as they all split up.

Thor, Jane, Selvig, and Darcy start to herd the crowd of Townsfolk off the streets, as the Warriors Three and Sif head across town, towards the Destroyer, Arabella flying overhead.

Thor, Jane, and Selvig clear the streets, loading confused townsfolk into cars, moving others indoors. A dog makes it way down the street, barking at something in front of it. The Destroyer strides down the street, a red, fiery energy glowing from within it. It unleashes blasts as it goes, blowing up cars, setting storefronts aflame.

Sif and the Warriors Three head down the street towards the Destroyer.

"Keep it distracted." Sif says as she breaks off from the group.

The Warriors Three continue towards the behemoth.

Fandral eyes the behemoth in front of them. "What do you think? "The Svartalfheim Twist?" "Kiss of the Hag?" "Face Full of Boot?"

Volstagg grins eagerly. "The Flying Mountain."

Hogun and Fandral groan as the blonde turns to their friend. "Not "The Flying Mountain!" It threw out my back for a year last time!"

"Trust me, it'll work."

* * *

Thor looks anxiously back down the street, where the Warriors Three get into position before the Destroyer.

"My friends fight bravely, but they won't be able to hold it back much longer."

Darcy hurries out of the burning pet store carrying as many animals in cages as she can, then loads them into a truck.

* * *

Down the street, Hogun and Fandral take off running towards the Destroyer, as Volstagg stands limbering up.

Fandral is growing impatient. "Come on!"

Volstagg takes off running at full speed. As he catches up to his comrades, Hogun and Fandral grab him on either side, and with all their Asgardian might, hurl the voluminous warrior into the air at the black metal behemoth.

"For Asgard!"

The Destroyer is unable to react quickly enough, as Volstagg smashes into the creature. It looks like it might actually work for a moment, but the Destroyer stays on its feet. It lifts Volstagg into the by the scruff of his neck. He shrugs apologetically. The Destroyer savagely hurls him back, he smashes into a car windshield. The Destroyer moves into a standing position over Volstagg, the faceplate opens as the fiery glow starts from deep inside of it.

Suddenly Sif leaps off a nearby rooftop with her two-headed spear and plunges it deep into the back of the creatures neck, impaling it.

The creature stands there motionless, the fire dimming in its faceplate, Sif standing atop its back. The Asgardians have a brief moment of hope. But the creature stirs with life, its fire igniting once again. Sif looks on with growing trepidation. Slowly, unnaturally, the Destroyer spins its torso around 180 degrees to face its attackers. The Destroyer unleashes a blast at Sif. She barely dives off of the behemoth in time, dodging the blast. The Destroyer rises again to its full height, pulling free from Sif's staff, the weapon slipping through the slats of its armor. Sif and the Warriors Three try to regroup, when the Destroyer unleashes another blast, sending Sif and her comrades flying in all directions. Hogun's pouch of healing stones breaks free, landing in the middle of the street.

Thor sees his friends lying injured on the ground, but has no time to act, as the Destroyer fires in his direction. A storefront near Smith Motor explodes, knocking Thor, Jane, and Selvig off their feet. Thor helps Jane to her feet, when they notice Selvig lying on his back amidst the debris, impaled by a twisted piece of iron.

"Erik!" Jane and Thor hurry to his side. He's losing blood, going into shock.

"Go! Leave me!"

Jane takes his hand as Thor spots Hogun's pouch of healing stones lying in the middle of the street. He makes a break for it, dodging through the flaming wreckage, then grabs the pouch and races back. He opens the pouch to find the fragile stones crushed and useless. He pours the contents out in his hand.

"Come on... give me one!"

Amidst the useless powder, he finally finds one stone still intact. Thor tosses the pouch aside, holds the stone over the end of the iron rod.

"What are you doing? What is that?" Jane asks.

As the stone begins to glow, Thor crushes it. Jane looks on, amazed, as the glowing powder falls upon the piece of iron, dissolving it, heading downwards, until it reaches Selvig's wound. The powder heals his wound completely.

Thor looks down the street, sees his wounded friends still lying there, as Selvig sits up in utter astonishment. He reaches through the hole in his shirt to touch his healed flesh as he looks to Jane.

"I'm really starting to like him."

Jane turns to Thor to find he's gone.

* * *

As Arabella circles The Destroyer firing everything she has at it, Thor reaches Sif, who lies dazed, battered, and bloodied on the ground. He pulls her behind a burning vehicle.

"Sif. Sif, you've done all you can. Go, while you can!"

"But the others..."

"You can't help them now. Your job is to survive."

She struggles to sit up. "No! I will die a warrior's death. Stories will be told of this day—"

He gently takes her shield from her. "Live and tell those stories yourself."

At last, she nods. Thor spots Volstagg lying unconscious, with Hogun and Fandral lying nearby. Thor makes his way towards them. Volstagg is barely breathing. Thor tries to pull him to safety, but it's no use. He won't budge. He rouses Hogun and Fandral.

"Get him out of here!"

Fandral argues, "No. We can still fight!"

"But not win. Move Volstagg, or he'll die! You must return to Asgard. You have to stop Loki." Thor looks at them, grins. "Do not worry, my friends. I have a plan."

The two Warriors reluctantly grab their fallen friend and drag him away from the battlefield.

* * *

Arabella coats the front of The Destroyers face in ice, blocking the flames. As she swoops down prepared to take its head off it swats at her quickly knocking her to the ground before it. The sound of freight trains enter her ears and she barely has time to pull her wings around her to block the bolt of fire that comes from the Destroyers open faceplate. After the heat disperses she opens her wings only for the Destroyer to grip its massive hand around her neck, squeezing.

"Loki. Please." She gasps for air as she fights to stay conscious, she knows the God can hear her pleas.

* * *

Down the street, Thor turns back to the Destroyer, tossing Sif's shield aside. He sees Bella in its clutches and acts quickly. He strides down the street towards the behemoth, completely defenseless. The others watch in silence and fear.

"Brother... whatever I have done to wrong you, whatever I have done to lead you to do this, I am truly sorry. But these people are innocent. Taking their lives will gain you nothing."

He continues towards the Destroyer.

"So take mine, and end this."

Thor reaches the Destroyer and extends his arms. The fiery glow dissipates before the faceplate closes. The Destroyer hesitates, turning around to leave, then quickly backhands the defenseless Thor. Arabella hears the sickening crack of breaking bones as Thor goes flying. Thor lands in a crumpled, broken heap in front of Smith Motors, before Jane, Selvig, and Darcy. The wounded Asgardians watch helplessly from down the street, a look of horror on their faces.

Jane rushes to Thor's aid, kneeling next to him she cradles his face in her hands.

"It's over."

Jane shakes her head, "No. It's not over."

"I mean, you're safe."

"We're safe."

"It's over."

"No."

A raven flies overhead, watching the scene –

Thor's eyes close, his last breath leaving his lips. The Destroyer turns and walks away back out of town, Arabella still grasped in its hand.

- Odin lies in the Odinsleep. A single tear rolls down the Allfather's cheek.

* * *

Inside the crater, the runes of the side of Mjolnir reappear, burning bright.

_"__Whosoever holds this hammer, if he be worthy, shall possess the power of Thor."_

Electricity starts to crackle on the hammer's surface. Scientists beside it take notice as it vibrates, and a rumble comes from overhead. They look up. Clouds form in the sky above. Just then, with a crack and flash of lightning, Mjolnir flies straight up into the air like a rocket.

Selvig sees it and rushes out, pulling Jane away from Thor's body. Mjolnir rockets to the ground, Thor's arm shoots up grabbing the hammer tightly as the electricity from it strikes his body.

The Destroyer turns back, watching as everyone else is, lightning surrounding Thor. Mjolnir flies out and knocks the Destroyer to the ground.

As the lightning clears we see –

* * *

"Oh. My. God." Jane says amazed.

THE MIGHTY THOR. Clad in his full battle armor, holding Mjolnir in his hand – the God of Thunder once more. Thor kneels, brings Mjolnir down onto the ground. KRAKABOOM!

Lightning strikes the Destroyer. It convulses finally dropping Arabella to the ground. Thor swings Mjolnir around and takes off straight up into the air, as the Destroyer gets back on its feet and looks up at the Thunder God. Storm clouds gather around Thor as he summons gale force winds. Debris from the battle begins to rise up into the sky. The Destroyer stays there, kept grounded by its massive weight.

But it is no match for the tornado Thor has created, as the Destroyer is lifted into the air. It lifts its head up at the Thunder God, opens its faceplate and unleashes its blast. Thor knocks two of the blasts away with Mjolnir. Then Thor dives downwards straight at it, with Mjolnir before him. Mjolnir collides with the Destroyer's fiery energy blast, overpowering it, pushing it back, forcing it downwards at the Destroyer. Thor jams his hammer deep into the Destroyer's faceplate. The fiery energy within the creature builds up and explodes within him, firing out of all his openings. Thor smashes the Destroyer to the ground in a tremendous heap, the fiery energy within it extinguished forever.

Thor pulls Mjolnir from its faceplate and walks away from its lifeless carcass. As he does, the other objects and debris pulled into the air by the gale winds drop down from the skies, around the Destroyer, burying it.

* * *

Jane and Thor's comrades, now roused, stand to join him as he helps Bella to her feet.

"So is this how you normally look?" Jane asks taking in Thor's appearance.

"More or less."

"It's a good look." She says eyeing him appreciatively.

"We must got to the Bifrost site. I would have words with my brother."

A battered Coulson approaches with several SHIELD Agents. "Excuse me! Donald? I don't think you've been completely honest with me."

Thor turns to Coulson. "Know this, Son of Coul. You and I, we fight for the same cause – the protection of this world. From this day forward, you can count me as your ally. If… You return the items you have taken from Jane Foster."

"Stolen." Jane says.

"Borrowed." Coulson counters quickly. "Of course, you can have your equipment back. You're gonna need it to continue your research... which, after today's events, SHIELD would like to fully sponsor. If that's all right with you."

Thor looks down at her, "Would you like to see the bridge we spoke of?"

"Uh, sure." Thor hauls her up against his side with a strong arm, which earns a laugh from Jane.

"Wait, I need to debrief you!" Coulson says but Thor takes off into the air, Jane holding his waist tightly.


	14. The Final Battle

**I do not own Marvel, Thor or any of its characters. I only own my original character Arabella and anything else that seems out of place.**

**Thank you to everyone who has chosen to favorite, follow and review this story.**

* * *

Laufey and two Frost Giants appear out of the Bifrost and step onto the platform. Loki is waiting for them. He pulls Gungnir from the Observatory's control panel. The giant apparatus slows to a stop.

"Father. Welcome to Asgard."

* * *

The site looks like the aftermath of a war zone. The smoldering wreckage of SHIELD vehicles lies strewn about. Thor, Jane, Darcy, Selvig and the other Asgardians stand in the desert.

Darcy turns to Volstagg. "So, how can you speak our language?"

"Your language? Ha! Silly girl, you're speaking ours."

Thor calls up to the sky. "Heimdall! Open the Bifrost!"

Up on the bridge Heimdall stands frozen, he can hear Thor calling to him. Slowly the ice imprisoning him begins to crack.

"Heimdall? Heimdall?!" Thor looks to the others with concern. "He doesn't answer. He would open it if he could. I fear the worst."

Hogun looks up to the sky, "Then we're trapped here forever."

"Then I suppose we'd best start settling into our new lives." Fandral looks to Darcy, and turns on the charm. "Are all earth maidens as fair as you?"

Darcy enjoys the attention. "No."

Thor shouts back up to the sky. "Heimdall! If you can hear me, we need you now! Heimdall! We need you now!"

* * *

From inside the ice, Heimdall hears Thor calling to him. Knowing that the fate of Asgard depends on him, he musters all his strength. The ice around him begins to crack. With a tremendous effort, Heimdall shatters free from the ice. Weakened, near death, he takes down the two Frost Giants guarding him, then drags himself inside the Observatory.

* * *

The Asgardians begin to lose hope.

"Heimdall!"

Suddenly, the Bifrost explodes down from the sky. Thor grins. The mortals look on, amazed.

Fandral turns to Darcy. "Sorry, my love. These things happen." He joins the other Asgardians at their side.

Thor pulls Jane against his side again. "I must go back to Asgard, but I give you my word, I will return for you." He takes Jane's hand and kisses it tenderly. She looks at him, her eyes filled with the fear that she may never see him again.

"Whatever fate lies before me, you are part of it. Deal?"

She smiles at him, then takes him by surprise as she pulls him in for a passionate kiss. They pull apart and Jane smiles, "Deal."

Thor joins his friends and together they are pulled into the Bifrost and back to Asgard.

* * *

The Asgardians emerge from the Bifrost to find Heimdall slumped over his controls.

"Get him to the healing room! Leave my brother to me."

Thor bolts out the door, Arabella behind him as they fly towards the Palace.

* * *

Odin lies in the Odinsleep, Frigga at his bedside. She hears the shouts of Guards outside, the sound of a battle. Frigga grabs a sword. A Frost Giant bursts in. She swings the sword around hard, cleaving into his shoulder. He swats her aside angrily. Laufey and the Brute Frost Giant enter. Laufey looks at Odin lying helpless on the bed.

* * *

Thor and Bella ride the winds over the Bridge, speeding towards the palace.

* * *

The Jotun king stands over the unconscious Odin, relishing the moment. He forms an ice blade.

* * *

Thor and Arabella race through the entrance to the palace.

* * *

Laufey stands before the sleeping Odin, peeling his good eye open. "It's said you can still see and hear what transpires around you, even in this state. I hope it's true, so that you may know your death came at the hand of Laufey."

He raises his blade above Odin's body, when – a blast of energy hits him from behind. As the Jotun king falls to the ground, we see it is not Thor standing behind him, but Loki, holding Gungnir.

"And your death came by the son of Odin."

Laufey dies as the other two shocked Frost Giants move for Loki. He fires Gungnir at one, blasting him against a wall, taking him out.

The Brute is nearly upon him, when the Jotun stops suddenly, his eyes going wide. The Brute falls to the ground, revealing – Frigga standing behind him – the sword stuck in his back. She looks to Loki, takes him in her arms.

"Loki! You saved him!"

"I swear to you, Mother, that they will pay for what they've done today. I will end the Jotun threat, now and forever!"

He looks to Odin.

"And I will make you proud."

Loki savors the moment, but it's short-lived, as Thor bursts in with Bella behind him. They're thrown by the scene before them – Odin safe, Laufey and two Jotuns dead, Frigga regarding Loki with pride and respect.

"Loki!" Thor growls out.

Stunned and delighted to see Thor, Frigga beams. "Thor! I knew you'd return to us." She moves to Thor and hugs him, he hugs her back but his eyes remain fixed on his brother.

Loki looks at Mjolnir in his brother's hand. "Found its way back to you, did it?"

"No thanks to you."

Frigga picks up on the tension building between her sons.

"Why don't you tell her? How you sent the Destroyer to kill our friends. To kill Bella. To kill me."

Frigga looks to Loki, alarmed and confused. "What?"

"Why, it must have been enforcing Father's last command."

"You're a talented liar, Brother. Always have been."

Loki smiles, "It's good to have you back." His face changes to a dead serious look. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to destroy Jotunheim."

Loki suddenly raises Gungnir and fires it point-blank at Thor. Thor goes flying backwards, smashing through the chamber walls, into... The corridor. Thor flies from the blast through another wall on the opposite side of the corridor, to... Thor plummets from the palace and crashes into the reflecting pools below.

* * *

Back in the chamber Arabella steps in front of Loki blocking his exit. "Do not take one more step Loki."

"Step aside Bella. Or I will clip your wings."

Trusting her gut she stands her ground. "No. I don't think that you will."

"You said you understood."

"I do. But I do not condone your actions. Loki, please. This is not the way. Stop this, before it goes too far."

"I can't do that." His face softens as he holds out his hand, "Come with me Bella. Be my Queen. Rule at my side. Together we will make Asgard undefeatable."

Arabella lowers her eyes contemplating, her gaze lifts meeting that of Frigga, the Queen nods at her. The Angel smiles before laying her hand in Loki's, "Yes, my King."

* * *

The two walk out of the Palace to Loki's awaiting horse. Loki swings up onto the saddle, offering his hand down he helps Bella onto the horse behind him. The two speed on horseback down the Rainbow Bridge, then quickly dismount and enter the Observatory. Arabella stands by watching as Loki operates the Observatory's controls. The massive turret spins and points.

Thor awakens to the sound of the Bifrost. He stands, sees the Observatory firing the Bifrost energy into space. He looks to where the Bifrost is aimed.

"Jotunheim..."

* * *

Thor soars on the winds above the Rainbow Bridge, the Bifrost energy roaring through the Bridge, feeding into the Observatory. He lands before the Observatory's huge doorway.

Thor enters, shields his eyes from the brilliant light of the Bifrost energy blasting towards Jotunheim. He looks over to the controls, and sees that they're frozen in an enormous block of ice. Loki stands atop it.

"All these years, and no one's ever dared to use it as a weapon. You can't stop it. The Bifrost will build until it rips Jotunheim apart."

Thor hurries to the ice, raises his hammer to smash through it to get to the controls frozen within. Before he can, Loki fires Gungnir. The blast hits the ice in front of Thor, blasting him back across the floor. Loki steps down from the ice as Thor staggers to his feet.

"Why have you done this?"

"To prove to Father that I am the worthy son. To do what Father never could. To destroy their kind forever. When he awakens, he'll see the wisdom of what I've done. I will have saved his life. I will have destroyed that race of monsters. And I will be true heir to the throne!"

"He won't! You can't kill an entire race!"

"Why not?" Loki laughs. "And what is this newfound love for the Frost Giants? You, could have killed them all with your bare hands."

"I've changed."

"So have I." Loki hits Thor across the face with Gungnir. "Now fight me."

He swings Gungnir at Thor again. Thor catches it in his hand, rears back his hammer as if ready to return the blow, but instead takes to the air and flies past Loki, back towards the frozen controls. Loki spins around, aims Gungnir, and fires a blast which immobilizes Thor in the air. He hangs there, suspended.

Loki steps forward so enthralled with fighting Thor he almost doesn't see the ball of fire that erupts on the other side of the control panel. He runs past Thor who still hangs in mid-air, coming around to stare at the person trying to foil his plans.

* * *

Arabella stands, concentrating all her power into the fire before her trying to melt the ice containing the controls. All of a sudden she is paralyzed by a blue light. Loki approaches her, Gungnir raised, the blue beam surrounding her body.

"You lied to me Bella."

"You are not the only one good at lies Loki."

"I'm impressed."

"You shouldn't be. I learned from the best."

"I had such hope for us. To rule Asgard with you by my side."

"Rule what? A Kingdom of corpses? Because that is all that will be left if you continue this. I care for you Loki, but I cannot stand by your side. I would rather die with the Jotuns."

"So be it." Loki growls out before he releases her from the paralyzation. He then swings Gungnir around and hits Bella across the cheek with the end of the staff. Arabella tumbles to the ground, unconscious.

* * *

Thor eyes his brother with disgust, "Is the throne really worth what you've done? What you would become?"

"I never wanted the throne! I only ever wanted to be your equal. Now fight me!"

With a gesture of Gungnir, he flings Thor to the ground. Thor rises to his feet, turns to Loki.

"I will not fight you, Brother!"

"I am not your brother. I never was."

"Loki, this is madness..."

Tears form in Loki's eyes, slowly tracking down his cheeks. "Is it madness? Is it? Is it?"

He fires Gungnir at Thor. Thor dodges the blast and rolls to his feet.

"Come on. What happened to you on Earth that turned you so soft? Don't tell me it was that woman."

Thor doesn't answer. Loki realizes he's right.

"Oh! It was! Well, maybe, when we're finished here, I'll pay her a visit myself!"

That did it. Loki and Thor rush at each other. They and their weapons collide. The two battle – Loki unleashing years of pent-up rage and jealousy, Thor having no choice but to defend himself.

* * *

It's mayhem. The growing Bifrost tears through the ice of the planet like a destructive wave, breaking it apart. Jotuns go running in terror, others fall through the breaking ice.

* * *

Jane, Selvig, Darcy, and Coulson look up with concern at the hole in the sky, where excess Bifrost energy builds up around it.

"Jane?" Selvig's worried voice reaches her.

"Something's wrong."

* * *

Thor and Loki battle savagely. Loki fires Gungnir, sending Thor sliding across the floor and knocking Mjolnir from his hand. The hammer flies into the Bifrost towards Jotunheim. Thor raises his hand towards his hammer, tries to summon it back to him, to keep it in this Realm, but the Bifrost is too powerful. Mjolnir disappears into the maelstrom as Thor himself slides towards the Bifrost.

"If you care so much for the Jotuns, then die with them."

The Bifrost stretches every cell of Thor's body, trying to drag him away. He's nearly swallowed by the vortex, when he concentrates, mustering his will. He reaches out his hand towards the Bifrost. Mjolnir flies back through the maelstrom, into Thor's hand. The hammer pulls him free. Loki tries to fire off another blast at him, but Thor takes to the air, speeding towards his brother.

Thor and Loki come crashing through the Observatory dome and land hard, rolling across the Rainbow Bridge. As Thor gets to his feet, he sees Loki dangling off the Bridge's edge.

"Thor! Help me!"

Thor steps over to the side of the Bridge and sees Loki looking up at him desperately.

"Brother, please..."

Loki's fingers start to slip. Thor reaches down to grab his brother's wrist, but his hand passes through Loki's. Just then, the real Loki materializes behind him. Thor whirls around as Loki stabs him in the chest with Gungnir. Loki lifts Thor into the air, impaled on the spear, and hurls him across the bridge.

Thor, bleeding, rises to his knees. Loki strides up behind him to finish him off, when Thor swing his hammer around. It passes through him. Instantly, another Loki appears next to him, Thor swings his hammer, but that too is an illusion. Loki after Loki appears, Thor futilely swinging at each one, never making contact. Thor falls back to his knees. The Loki's grin as they raise their spears, encircling him.

"I was always more clever than you."

"Yet still not clever enough."

With that, Thor raises his hammer, rising into the air, summoning lightning. A massive bolt strikes Mjolnir, then channels outwards, splitting up, striking each one of the Loki's. All of them dissipate into nothingness, save one – the real Loki – who's sent flying back across the Bridge, Gungnir knocked from his grasp.

Thor steps over to his fallen brother, lying dazed on his back. Loki winces, prepares for the worst, when Thor simply steps away. Loki opens his eyes and tries to stand, but can't. He looks confused, then he sees what the problem is – Mjolnir rests atop his chest. Struggle as he may, Loki can't lift it off. He's pinned to the ground.

Arabella wakes up, shaking her head trying to rid it of the pain as she struggles to her feet. She sees the Bifrost gaining strength, she flies up and out of the Observatory through the hole in the ceiling. She lands gingerly on the bridge, lightly prodding the bruise on her cheek as she glares at Loki. She turns her head to find Thor approaching her.

He looks about him desperately – at the Bifrost firing towards Jotunheim, gaining in strength, at the surge of energy moving through the Bridge. He's at a loss of what to do.

Loki watches him smugly. "Look at you, the Mighty Thor. With all your strength, and what good does it do you now? Do you hear me, Brother? There's nothing you can do!"

Thor knows Loki's right. He's powerless to stop what's happening. He looks down at the Bridge beneath his feet, vibrating from the force and speed of the Bifrost energy feeding into the Observatory. Then he gets an idea. He realizes what he must do – and what he must sacrifice.

Thor extends his hand towards Loki, summoning Mjolnir. The hammer goes flying to his grasp. Loki looks confused. Arabella and Thor share a grim look as she moves a few steps behind him. Thor raises Mjolnir in the air. Clouds form above him, thunder rumbling. Lightning arcs off of his hammer, as he channels the power of the storm into it, then – He strikes Mjolnir down upon the Rainbow Bridge. The blow is massive, causing a rumbling along the whole bridge, shaking the Observatory itself like an earthquake. A crack appears where the blow struck. Then again and again he hits it.

Loki rises to his feet. "Stop! What are you doing?!"

Thor lifts the hammer again, brings it down harder. BOOM! The crack grows bigger. The Bifrost energy starts to stream out from it.

Loki thinks fast. "If you destroy the Bridge, you'll never see her again!" Then Loki grabs Gungnir, running towards him, ready to pierce Thor through the back.

Thor pictures Jane, "Forgive me, Jane."

Summoning every bit of strength he has left, Thor raises Mjolnir one last time, drawing lightning to it from all sides, and brings it down with a final, terrible blow – KRAKABOOM! The Bifrost shatters, rainbow energy exploding out of it.

Loki, Arabella and Thor are hurled into the air by the force of the blast. A wave of destruction moves forward along the Bridge towards the Observatory, breaking it apart as it goes. The Observatory rips itself apart as it falls down into the endless abyss.

As Loki and Thor fall together, Thor grabs hold of one end of Gungnir, while Loki still clutches the other. They both fall towards the massive wave of Bifrost energy which spews out from the broken Bridge. They're an instant from being blasted by the destructive force of the energy, carried away by the current, pulverized by the debris, when – a powerful hand catches Thor's leg. Thor dangles there, holding onto Gungnir as Loki hangs onto the other end. Loki looks up, shocked to see – Odin Allfather standing on the edge of the broken Bridge, awakened from the Odinsleep, restored to his full strength.

Arabella manages to stop herself from falling, her wings carrying her back to the bridge. She lays down on the edge, extending her hand out, she's only a fingertip away. "Loki! Give me your hand! Please!"

Loki's sad eyes meet hers, then move to search his father's face. "I could have done it, Father! I could have done it! For you! For all of us!" Loki searches Allfather's face, looking for some kind of approval, some kind of redemption, but all he sees is disappointment and regret.

"No, Loki." Allfather tells his son.

Loki's eyes move back to Bella, she sees the look in them, the tears falling from them and knows what he's going to do.

"Loki, no!" She screams.

Loki lets go.

"No!" Thor screams, his cries mixing with those of Arabella.

But it's too late. Odin, Thor and Arabella can only watch as Loki falls into the rushing torrent of Bifrost energy. It carries him away, along with the debris of the Bridge and the Observatory, disappearing out of sight. Odin pulls Thor up onto the Bridge. Drained, Thor falls back into his father's arms.

"It is over."


	15. Saying Goodbye

**I do not own Marvel, Thor or any of its characters. I only own my original character Arabella and anything else that seems out of place.**

**Thank you to everyone who has chosen to favorite, follow and review this story.**

* * *

The Bifrost energy explodes in the sky like fireworks firing in all directions. Jane, Selvig, and Darcy stand watching in amazement. Jane looks back up at the sky, distraught. She knows the significance of what's just happened.

"It's gone."

* * *

A feast is in progress as Thor, Arabella, Sif, and the Warriors Three sit amongst the gathered Asgardians. Hogun sits between Fandral and Volstagg, who is in the middle of recounting their battle with the Destroyer.

"And then, with a mighty bellow, I flew into the giant metal creature and laid him low!"

"Is that another way of saying you fell on your huge ass." Fandral drawls with a smile at his friend.

"As a matter of fact, falling down was a tactic, lulling the Destroyer… into a false sense of security!"

"Well, I was the one who had to drag your enormous carcass off the battlefield. That makes me the real hero. Doesn't it, Hogun?"

Hogun points to Volstagg, "Big stomach." He then points to Fandral, "Big mouth."

The other gathered Asgardians laugh. Volstagg and Fandral look to Hogun. The grim warrior gives just a trace of a smile.

Fandral laughs, "Well, how about that? A smile! I'd say that calls for another drink!"

They laugh and raise another round.

Frigga stands nearby, lost in thought, her face betraying the sadness she struggles to conceal. Thor rises, taking Arabella's hand, passing by their Mother they each give her a kiss on her cheek before they leave the hall together.

Sif notices and approaches Frigga, her head bowed. "My Queen. I'm so sorry for your loss."

Frigga takes Sif's hand appreciatively. "Thank you, Sif." She looks to Thor and Arabella, who are unable to enjoy the merriment around them. "How are they?"

"He mourns for his brother. And… He misses her. The mortal. Arabella mourns for Loki."

Frigga sees the trace of regret in Sif's face as she looks at Thor with new feelings.

"They will need their friends now more than ever."

"I will always be at his side. Hers too."

Frigga understands and puts her arm around Sif gratefully.

* * *

Arabella bids Thor goodbye walking out of the palace to the destroyed end of the Bifrost. Heimdall watches her carefully gather her long dress in her hand and kneel down. Her appearance contradicts what she has just been through, save for the small bruise on her cheek where Loki struck her. Her hair hangs straight down her back, just brushing the top of her butt, her crown shaped like a ring of golden leaves, rests atop her head. Her makeup is light and flawless, as if she is not wearing any at all. Her dress is simple but elegant. Emerald green, off the shoulders, a deep scoop neck and long bell sleeves with gold piping around each of the edges. It hugs her body flaring out slightly at the hips to flow around her legs. A gold corset around her middle completes the dress and adds a warriors touch to the ensemble.

Heimdall observes the tears flowing unashamed down her cheeks, dripping off her chin and falling into the black abyss below them. In her hand she holds a single white Orchid.

"My Lady, are you alright?" Heimdall steps forward, kneeling beside the Princess.

She turns her face to him, her brilliant blue eyes dull and rimmed red. "Do you think me a fool Heimdall? Falling in love with Lo… With him." She can't even say his name for the pain it causes her.

"No Arabella. I do not think you a fool. We cannot control our hearts, they do what they want. Remember, you fell for him so long ago, before he became the man that brought about his doom."

"How did you know?"

"I see all my child." He says with a wink earning a small smile from her. "He was different around you. A better man. Perhaps if he could've seen himself like you saw him, things would not have played out like they had. Then again maybe they still would have. Tragically we will never know."

Arabella sighs, "Will it ever stop hurting?"

"Not right away. But letting go is the first step to healing My Lady." Heimdall stands up giving her some privacy.

Arabella stares down into the black abyss, she closes her eyes taking a deep breath. "Goodbye Loki." She opens her eyes and lets the flower drop from her hand, watching it as it falls until she can no longer see it. She stands up and turns to Heimdall who is regarding her with a curious eyes.

"You are leaving us."

Arabella sighs heavily, "I can't stay here Heimdall. It's too painful."

Heimdall nods, he takes her hand in his, raising it to his lips and bestowing a kiss on it. "I understand. I will miss you Arabella. I trust you will not forget us."

"I could never forget."

* * *

Inside the Palace, Odin stands alone on the balcony, lost in thought. Thor walks up behind him.

"You'll be a wise King."

"There will never be a wiser King than you. Or a better father. I have much to learn. I know that now. But some day, perhaps, I shall make you proud."

"You've already made me proud."

Odin leaves, Thor consoled by his words.

* * *

Out of the broken, jagged Rainbow Bridge flows the Bifrost energy, drifting off into space. Thor walks out to its edge, where Heimdall stands watch with Arabella. Thor stares out at the stellar void.

"So Earth is lost to us?"

"No. There is always hope."

"Can you see her?"

Heimdall turns, gazes out towards Earth. "Yes."

"How is she?"

"She searches for you."

* * *

Through the window into Jane's lab, we see an enlarged illustration from her notebook pinned to a board. As we pull away, we see a computer terminal displaying a program clearly inspired by the illustration. We pull further back to see that the lab has been transformed into a well-funded research facility, abuzz with activity. SHIELD scientists and Agents work with impressive, state-of- the-art equipment. Selvig orchestrates the process, giving instructions to the scientists.

Up on the roof Jane is sitting at the front of the roof, working on a small, improvised workstation, notebook at hand, as always. She sets up an impressive, high-tech device before her, which bears the "STARK INDUSTRIES" logo.

From behind, Darcy approaches and hands her a flash drive. "Here you go."

"Thanks." Jane says as she inserts the flash drive into the device.

"He would have come back if he could."

"I know. But if he can't get here on his own..."

Jane hits a switch on the device. Suddenly, a 3-D holographic projection bursts to life over the device, bathing the two women in its glow. It is – YGGDRASIL, in all its beauty.

"...maybe we can help him find his way back."


	16. A New Beginning

**I do not own Marvel, Thor or any of its characters. I only own my original character Arabella and anything else that seems out of place.**

**Thank you to everyone who has chosen to favorite, follow and review this story.**

* * *

Back on the Bifrost Thor sees the far off look in his sister's eyes. "Bella."

As her tear filled eyes meet his he knows she has something important to tell him. "Thor… I'm leaving. Going back to Midgard."

"I had a feeling you would."

"Are you upset with me?"

"How could I be? Bella I understand and I will not try to stop you. We each must do what makes us happy."

"Come with me. I'll take you to Jane."

"No. I must remain here, there is so much work to be done but I thank you for your thought. I will see her again. When the time is right."

Arabella nods, "I must go speak to Mother and Father. Will you come with me?"

Thor smiles, nodding as the two bid Heimdall goodbye and head back to the Palace. Inside the throne room Odin and Frigga listen carefully to Arabella as she explains her reasons.

"I love it here, but without him, it hurts. I can't look anywhere without a reminder of what was. I hope you understand."

The King and Queen share a look before smiles grace their faces. Odin steps down from his throne taking Arabella's hand in his. "My child, over the last two years, you have become my daughter. And for my children I would do anything, that includes you. I have enough magic in Gungnir to send you back, if that is truly your wish."

Frigga approaches the woman she has taken in as her daughter. "Bella. Of course we understand. No one was closer to Loki than you, and for that I'm grateful. You made such a difference in his life, in all our lives during your stay here. When we lose someone that we love and care about, it takes a toll on us. If it is your wish to go back then of course we will help you. Whatever makes you happy my dear."

Arabella glances between the man and woman who have become parents to her, Thor who has became her brother, they have become another family she has grown to love. "Yes it is my wish. But… I will miss you all so very much."

"We will miss you too sweetheart." Frigga says hugging the woman close.

"You are always welcome here Arabella." Odin smiles as her eyes widen. "Of course, visits will have to wait until the Bifrost is repaired."

Arabella hugs Odin which earns a very big smile from the elder man. "Thank you Allfather."

"You are welcome."

Then she hugs Thor bidding him goodbye. "I will never forget you Bella."

"Nor I you Thor."

She steps back from the three as Odin grabs his spear, holding it before him. "Are you ready?"

Arabella takes in the smiling faces before her and nods, "Yes I'm ready."

Odin waves the spear over his head then points it at her, a blue light flows out of the end and engulfs her. She takes in the feeling of floating before everything around her goes black, she closes her eyes.

When she opens them she finds herself in New York City of all places. She glances up to the sky where a flash of rainbow light explodes like a firework and then disappears.

"Goodbye."

THE END

* * *

Please stay tuned for the next story in the Fallen Angel series, **Fallen Angel: Avengers Assemble.**


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